Liquid and gas chromatographic studies of the anaerobic degradation of baker’s yeast wastewater

The digestion of baker’s yeast wastewater was monitored by gas production intensity and composition of gaseous and liquid phases. Favorable coexistence of sulfate reducing bacteria and methanogens was explained by the presence and metabolism of trimethylamine, a degradation product of betaine. Concentration of sulfides decreased at the expense of betaine degradation with final products S0 and N2. Since biological wastewater treatment was complicated by both high content of SO42-, eventually becoming reduced to toxic H2S, and high total nitrogen content, a technological solution that links sulfate reduction to elemental sulfur coupled with reactions producing gaseous nitrogen may have great practical value.