Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems

Septic systems are major on-site sanitation facilities used in many developing countries to treat domestic wastewater. Climate change concerns have prompted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; nonetheless, septic systems contribute to emissions of GHGs, such as methane. The present stu...

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Main Authors: Areke Alexander Tiareti, Megumi Matsumura, Taira Hidaka, Fumitake Nishimura, Youhei Nomura, Taku Fujiwara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Waste Management Bulletin
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949750724001056
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author Areke Alexander Tiareti
Megumi Matsumura
Taira Hidaka
Fumitake Nishimura
Youhei Nomura
Taku Fujiwara
author_facet Areke Alexander Tiareti
Megumi Matsumura
Taira Hidaka
Fumitake Nishimura
Youhei Nomura
Taku Fujiwara
author_sort Areke Alexander Tiareti
collection DOAJ
description Septic systems are major on-site sanitation facilities used in many developing countries to treat domestic wastewater. Climate change concerns have prompted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; nonetheless, septic systems contribute to emissions of GHGs, such as methane. The present study investigated modifications to improve the operating conditions of septic systems to minimize methane emissions by evaluating the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) as an operating parameter using laboratory-scale biodegradation experiments. To investigate the influence of ORP on methane emissions, dog food and potassium nitrate were used as representatives of blackwater and alternative electron acceptors to oxygen, respectively, under various biodegradation conditions. The experimental results suggest that methane emission is suppressed at a critical ORP level (−350 to −450 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). They also showed that ORP can be used as a monitoring signal to better understand methane-producing conditions in septic systems. The proposed modifications to improve septic system operating conditions are to shorten the desludging period and provide sufficient oxygen to the septic tank, considering the critical ORP to prevent anaerobic conditions.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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series Waste Management Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-bc0eeb3c7fe14eaaa4aad3fdd3d1fb512025-08-20T02:59:49ZengElsevierWaste Management Bulletin2949-75072025-04-0131586510.1016/j.wmb.2024.12.003Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systemsAreke Alexander Tiareti0Megumi Matsumura1Taira Hidaka2Fumitake Nishimura3Youhei Nomura4Taku Fujiwara5Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Global Ecology, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Corresponding author at: Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.Research Center for Environmental Quality Management, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Global Ecology, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Global Ecology, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanSeptic systems are major on-site sanitation facilities used in many developing countries to treat domestic wastewater. Climate change concerns have prompted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; nonetheless, septic systems contribute to emissions of GHGs, such as methane. The present study investigated modifications to improve the operating conditions of septic systems to minimize methane emissions by evaluating the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) as an operating parameter using laboratory-scale biodegradation experiments. To investigate the influence of ORP on methane emissions, dog food and potassium nitrate were used as representatives of blackwater and alternative electron acceptors to oxygen, respectively, under various biodegradation conditions. The experimental results suggest that methane emission is suppressed at a critical ORP level (−350 to −450 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). They also showed that ORP can be used as a monitoring signal to better understand methane-producing conditions in septic systems. The proposed modifications to improve septic system operating conditions are to shorten the desludging period and provide sufficient oxygen to the septic tank, considering the critical ORP to prevent anaerobic conditions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949750724001056Anaerobic digestionDissolved oxygenGreenhouse gas emissionNitrateSludge
spellingShingle Areke Alexander Tiareti
Megumi Matsumura
Taira Hidaka
Fumitake Nishimura
Youhei Nomura
Taku Fujiwara
Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
Waste Management Bulletin
Anaerobic digestion
Dissolved oxygen
Greenhouse gas emission
Nitrate
Sludge
title Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
title_full Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
title_fullStr Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
title_full_unstemmed Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
title_short Effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
title_sort effect of oxidation reduction potential on methane emission from anaerobic septic systems
topic Anaerobic digestion
Dissolved oxygen
Greenhouse gas emission
Nitrate
Sludge
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949750724001056
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