Investigation on Recycling Dry Toilet Generated Blackwater by Anaerobic Digestion: From Energy Recovery to Sanitation

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely adapted for blackwater treatment, however, the effect of water-conserving toilet generated blackwater on the AD process is still unknown. In this study, the anaerobic digestion process of dry toilet generated blackwater was investigated by means of a biomethane potential test. It was demonstrated that anaerobic digestion was inhibited and then adapted because of a high total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) level (3673.3 mg/L). The start-up period was 14.04 days and the biomethane potential of dry toilet blackwater was 402.36 mLCH4/gVS (55 days, 38 °C). Inhabitation and adaptation could be described as the increase of free ammonia nitrogen content and acetic acid concentration, followed by an enhancement of the relative abundance of acetic acid-type methanogens (from 33.53–61.52%). The main pathogen in dry toilet blackwater fermentation broth, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, kept multiplying in the first 8 days and then stabilized at a higher level than that of the beginning. This work showed the self-adjustment process and pathogen dynamics of dry toilet blackwater anaerobic digestion and highlights the significance of dry toilet blackwater characteristics when designing and maintaining anaerobic digestion sanitary treatment and reuse systems.