Improved Stability of Anaerobic Digestion through the Use of Selective Acidogenic Culture

Abstract

Accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) under overloading conditions in anaerobic reactors is a common problem. There is a need to stop this accumulation to improve reactor stability. In this study, propionate-, butyrate-, and acetate-degrading cultures were enriched and used as inocula in a mesophilic two-stage reactor to improve system stability. The performance of a test reactor was compared with that of a control reactor that was not seeded with specific VFA-degrading inocula under normal and overloading conditions. The reactors were fed with simulated wastewater having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of