Effects of sulfide on the integration of denitrification with anaerobic digestion

•Anaerobic acidogenesis was accelerated with low S/NO3−–N ratios (0.27–1.08).•Increases in S/NO3−–N caused a shift from denitrification to DNRA.•Heterotrophic denitrification and acidogenesis were suppressed with the S/NO3−–N ratios of 1.60.

The effects of sulfide on the integration of denitrification with anaerobic digestion using anaerobic effluents of cassava stillage as carbon source were investigated. Batch tests indicated that nitrate reduction efficiencies decreased from 96.5% to 15.8% as sulfide/nitrate (S/NO3−–N) ratios increased from 0.27 to 1.60. At low S/NO3−–N ratios (0.27–1.08) anaerobic acidogenesis was accelerated. Nitrate was reduced to nitrite via sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification, after which the formed nitrite and residual nitrate were converted to N2 via heterotrophic denitrification. Increases in the S/NO3−–N ratio (1.60) caused a shift (76.3%) in the nitrate reduction pathway from denitrification to dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Sulfide concentrations (S/NO3−–N ratio of 1.60) suppressed not only heterotrophic denitrification but also acidogenesis. The potentially toxic effect of sulfide on acid production was mitigated by its rapid oxidation to sulfur, allowing the recovery of acidogenesis.