RT info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis
T1 Optimization of Membrane Processes for the Recovery of NH3; and Improvement in the Treatment of Agro-industrial Wastewater
A1 Rivera Mejia, Fanny Maritza
A2 Universidad de Valladolid. Escuela de Doctorado
K1 Ammonia
K1 Medio ambiente
K1 Anaerobic Digestion
K1 Digestión anaerobia
K1 Ammonia recovery
K1 Recuperación de amoniaco
K1 Biogas production
K1 Producción de biogás
K1 3308 Ingeniería y Tecnología del Medio Ambiente
AB Ammonia can have significant impacts on air quality, water, ecosystems, and human health, emphasizing the importance of properly managing emissions of this compound. Ammonia is also present in wastewater from various human activities. These wastewater streams cause environmental and public health risks if not managed properly. Livestock wastewater, primarily composed of pig slurry, cow, and poultry manure, contains high concentrations of organic matter and nutrients. The most efficient biological process for the proper management of livestock wastewater is anaerobic digestion (AD) due to its ability to biotransform organic matter into biogas, although its capacity to remove nutrients is very limited. The biogas produced from AD of livestock wastewater is crucial for the environmental sustainability and the economic viability of animal farms, as well as for helping to mitigate climate change. AD is a natural process in which microorganisms decompose organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing methane and carbon dioxide, along with a nutrient-rich effluent called digestate. However, high concentrations of certain compounds such as NH₃, which is found in nitrogen-rich organic wastes like manures, can inhibit the AD process. Elevated concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen can exacerbate inhibition, with levels above 400 mg NH₃-N L¯¹ causing significant issues. Strategies to mitigate NH₃ inhibition include the extraction of total ammonia nitrogen from digesters, aiming to improve biogas productivity and overall process stability. In recent decades, the removal of NH₃ from drinking water and wastewater has become a focal point in the water sector. Various technologies have been employed for NH₃ removal during the treatment of municipal, agricultural, livestock, and industrial wastewater, including physical, chemical, and microbial processes. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on specific treatment conditions.This thesis evaluated the performance of AD combined with gas-permeable membrane technology which aimed at providing a sustainable technological platform for extracting nitrogen from pig and poultry manure, thus reducing NH₃ emissions and providing valuable products such as fertilizers and increased biogas yields (as a result of decreased NH₃ inhibition of the AD process). Membrane technology, known for its compact design and low energy consumption, is increasingly being considered for NH₃ recovery from high-load wastewater due to its economic advantages, ease of operation, and greater sustainability. Membrane contactors efficiently separate NH₃ from wastewater, requiring less energy compared to traditional NH₃ removal methods such as microbiological nitrification-denitrification processes, and allowing for in-situ extraction. Hydrophobic membranes facilitate NH₃ transfer to the receiving liquid phase, where it can be converted into commercial fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate. The use of sulfuric acid in the process results in efficient NH₃ capture, producing high-quality fertilizers. Overall, membrane-based NH₃ recovery presents a promising approach for sustainable waste treatment and resource recovery.
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/68544
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/68544
LA eng
NO Escuela de Doctorado
DS UVaDOC
RD 03-abr-2025