As part of my ongoing project, I am trying to examine the biogas production through anaerobic digestion of vegetable oil. Due to the oil layer formation in the mixture, I doubt that all the bacteria of sludge are getting chance to degrade the oil layer. It might be better for me to use any reganet/ emulsifier to dissolve oil in water. Can anyone suggest a good emulsifier that I can use which won't create any problem for the anaerobic bacteria?
Dear Musfique,
If you have ever came across analytical procedure for oil & grease determination, you will notice that reagents like hexane or petroleum ethers are used to extract the oil. I belive the same can solve your purpose. I would also suggest to check literature on effect of these solvents on anaerobic digestion and at the same time its cost constraints.
Hope it helps.
Please see my article Anaerobic treatment of slaughter wastewater: a review wherein effect of oil on anaerobic digestion is discussed in short.
Due to the oil layer formation in the mixture, I doubt that all the bacteria of sludge are getting chance to degrade the oil layer.
> Seems you re overloading the reactor with oil which is not a good indication. Your reactor is very likely collapse in coming few months if condition prevails.
>> All the members of microbial community do not degrade macromolecules. Its only 25-50% of the microbial population which carry out macro molecule degradation.
It might be better for me to use any reganet/ emulsifier to dissolve oil in water.
> It might be a good idea or very bad idea as well. Emulsified fats are readily degraded in the top step of methanogenic cycle which might overload the subsequest steps leading to disturbance and failure.
Can anyone suggest a good emulsifier that I can use which won't create any problem for the anaerobic bacteria?
> I recommend to not think as an engineer but think as a microbiologist. You can make process faster by emulsification but microbes will grow as they will grow, it is a biological process which takes time and is slow, thus need patience.
@Abhijeet I am using little amount of oil, but still if I use lesser amount, oil will not dissolve. It will always float on the water surface. That’s why my point is how I can mix it in the sludge.
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