VOLATILE ACID ANALYSIS

– THE EASY WAY

KAY CURTIN
CSWEA CONFERENCE
MAY 18, 2016
WHY DO VA ANALYSIS?
 STEP 1 - HYDROLYSIS
• BACTERIA, FUNGI AND PROTISTS PRODUCE ENZYMES THAT BREAK DOWN
SOLID ORGANICS, PROTEINS, CELLULOSE, LIPIDS, AND LIGNINS INTO
SOLUBLE (LIQUID) ORGANIC FATTY ACIDS, ALCOHOL, CARBON DIOXIDE,
AND AMMONIA.

Hartmanella sp.
Pseudomonas sp
 STEP 2 - ACIDOGENESIS
• ACID FORMERS SUCH AS LACTOBACCILLUS CONVERT THE PRODUCTS
PRODUCED BY STEP 1 INTO LONG-CHAIN AND VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS,
ALONG WITH AMMONIA, CARBON DIOXIDE AND HYDROGEN.
 STEP 3 - ACETOGENESIS
• ACETOBACTER TAKES THE ACIDS AND HYDROGEN AND BREAKS THEM
DOWN EVEN FURTHER TO FORM ACETONES (C3H6O) AND ACETIC ACID,
THE MAIN FOOD FOR OUR NEXT STEP:
 STEP 4 - METHANOGENESIS
• TWO TYPES OF METHANE FORMING BACTERIA CONVERTS HYDROGEN
ACETATE (ACETIC ACID) TO METHANE AND BICARBONATE (CO2 IN
SOLUTION) WHILE..

Methanococcus sp. Methanospirillum sp.

 METHANOGENESIS
• ANOTHER GROUP OF METHANE FORMERS CONVERTS THE HYDROGEN
AND CARBON DIOXIDE TO METHANE.

Methanosarcina sp. Methanosaeta sp.

 BALANCE!
• NEED TO OPERATE THE PLANT SO THAT THE RATE OF
ACID PRODUCTION TO METHANE FORMATION IS
ABOUT EQUAL.

• LOADING
• SLUDGE REMOVAL
 *TYPICAL OPERATIONAL RANGES
FOR MESOPHILIC DIGESTION
• ABSOLUTELY NO FREE OXYGEN (JUST MOLECULARLY COMBINED)
• PH 6.8-7.2
• VOLATILE ACID: ALKALINITY RATIO: < 0.3:1
• VOLATILE ACIDS: 50-300 MG/L
• ALKALINITY: 1500-3000 MG/L
• GAS PRODUCTION: 15-18 CU. FT./LB. OF VOLATILE SOLIDS DESTROYED
• TEMPERATURE: 95ºF (35ºC)
 PROCESS CONTROL OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTER

• VOLATILE ACID: ALKALINITY ANALYSIS IS THE FIRST WARNING SIGN OF AN UPSET

DIGESTER

• PH – BY THE TIME THE PH STARTS TO DROP, YOU HAVE PROBLEMS

 VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS

• FOOD FOR YOUR BIO-P BUGS

• ACETIC ACID (SHORT-CHAIN) IS MOST READILY AVAILABLE
• 6 OR LESS CARBON ATOMS
BIOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REMOVAL
VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS

• PHOSPHORUS ACCUMULATING
ORGANISMS (PAO) USE WHATEVER IS MOST
AVAILABLE = ACETIC ACID
• 5-10 MG/L VFA FOR EACH MG/L TOTAL
PHOSPHORUS REMOVED*

* 7 MG/L P = 70 MG/L VFA

 METHODS OF VOLATILE ANALYSIS
DISTILLATION-
COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY STANDARD METHODS 5560C
 METHODS OF VOLATILE ACID ANALYSIS

• GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
A FASTER, SAFER METHOD
 DISCLAIMER!

• NOT EPA (OR DNR OR MPCA) APPROVED (ESTERIFICATION METHOD)

• FOR PROCESS CONTROL ONLY

• MUST HAVE A CLEAR ENOUGH SAMPLE FOR SPECTROPHOTOGRAPHY

 STEPS TO ACETIC ACID, MG/L
HACH METHOD 10240
1. CENTRIFUGE OR FILTER THE SAMPLE TO OBTAIN CLARITY
2. ADD REAGENT A
3. INSERT INTO PREHEATED REACTOR
4. COOK FOR 10 MINUTES – REMOVE AND LET COOL
5. ADD SOLUTION B, MIX
6. ADD SOLUTION C, MIX
7. ADD SOLUTION D, MIX AND LET SIT FOR 3 MINUTES
8. CLEAN OFF VIAL, INSERT, READ RESULT
 ALKALINITY

• MAY USE THE HACH SPECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC

METHOD (CLEAN SAMPLE, ONCE AGAIN)
• OR USE TITRATION METHOD (A PLETHORA OF
YOUTUBE VIDEOS AVAILABLE)
• DETERMINATION OF ALKALINITY BY TITRATION
(SHORT METHOD) CSWEA.ORG
• MONTGOMERY BAKER FROM MMSD
 THANK YOU!

• KAY CURTIN
• CURTIN CONSULTING AND TRAINING
• 715.544.8423
• KAY.CURTIN@GMAIL.COM