First proof of concept for full-scale, direct, low-temperature anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater

Municipal wastewater constitutes the largest fraction of wastewater, and yet treatment processes are largely removal-based. High-rate anaerobic digestion (AD) has revolutionised the sustainability of industrial wastewater treatment and could additionally provide an alternative for municipal wastewater. While AD of dilute municipal wastewater is common in tropical regions, the low temperatures of temperate climates has resulted in slow uptake. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, direct, high-rate, low-temperature AD of low-strength municipal wastewater at full-scale. An 88 m(3) hybrid reactor was installed at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Builth Wells, UK and operated for 290 days. Ambient temperatures ranged from 2 to 18 degrees C, but remained below 15 degrees C for > 100 days. Influent BOD fluctuated between 2 and 200 mg L-1. However, BOD removal often reached > 85%. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of DNA from the biomass revealed a highly adaptable core microbiome. These findings could provide the basis for the next-generation of municipal wastewater treatment.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the feasibility of high-rate, direct treatment of low-strength municipal wastewater at low temperatures for the first time. Efficient removal of BOD from wastewater and the discovery of a highly adaptable core microbiome provide a foundation for next-generation municipal wastewater treatment.