Prevention of Lipid Inhibition in Anaerobic Processes by Introducing a Two-Phase System

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Abstract
The inhibitory effect of lipids and prevention of this inhibition in a two-phase anaerobic process were examined using laboratory-scale reactors and batch experiments. Lipids were satisfactorily degraded in a two-phase anaerobic filter while in a single-phase system, inhibition resulted in poor lipid degradation. Unsaturated long-chain fatty acids (LFAs) had a greater inhibitory effect than saturated LFAs. Methane production as well as beta-oxidation (degradation of saturated LFAs) were inhibited by unsaturated LFAs. The saturation of unsaturated LFAs was not inhibited, and palmitate (C16:0) was accumulated in the degradation of oleate (C18:l) or linoleate (C18:2). Greater inhibition was observed at low pH values. Continuous operation of a suspended-growth acidogenic reactor showed that hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of no less than 8 hours were necessary to mitigate the inhibition in a two-phase process. The fact that saturation of oleate occurred at HRTs no less than 8 hours suggests that the saturation of unsaturated LFAs in an acidogenic reactor is essential in the prevention of lipid inhibition in two-phase anaerobic processes.

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