Acute toxicity of oleate to acetate-utilizing methanogens in mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic sludges

Abstract Oleic acid, a major derivative of lipid hydrolysis, causes serious problems in biologically anaerobic systems treating fat/oil/grease wastewaters. Acute toxicity tests on acetate-utilizing methanogenesis were conducted batchwise at three temperatures (30, 40, and 55°C) with four different anaerobic sludges. Oleate inhibited flocculent sludge more than granular sludge. Its toxicity was irrelevant to the specific acetate-utilizing methanogenic activity but significantly dependent on temperature. Acetate-utilizing methanogenesis under thermophilic (55°C) conditions was found to be more susceptible to oleate toxicity than under mesophilic conditions (40 and 30°C). Fifty percent inhibition concentrations of oleate ranged between 0.35–0.79 m m at 55°C, 0.53–2.27 m m at 40°C, and 2.35–4.30 m m at 30°C. Oleate was over 12-fold more toxic to thermophilic flocculent sludge than to mesophilic granular sludge. Physicochemical surface association between oleate and acetate-utilizing methanogens played an important role in acute intoxication. With respect to temperature susceptibility, this study suggests the application of mesophilic treatment to fat/oil/grease wastewaters.

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