Use of citric acid for reducing CH4 and H2S emissions during storage of pig slurry and increasing biogas production: Lab- and pilot-scale test, and assessment

The use of sulfuric acid (SA) for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs, mainly CH4) emissions in manure management encounters with problems related with safety issue and increased H2S emissions. In the present study, citric acid (CA) as an alternative to SA was assessed in the lab-scale experiment at various dosages (pH 5.0–7.0), and then confirmed in the pilot-scale tank (effective volume of 30 ton). During 35 d of pig slurry (PS) storage at 30 °C, it was found that the CA addition to initial pH down to 6.5 could lead negligible reduction, while 85–99% and 48–72% reduction of CH4 and H2S emissions were achieved at pH ≤ 6.0, respectively. The similar reduction performance was confirmed (control vs. pH 6.0) in the pilot-scale test, but, interestingly, two times higher CH4 emissions of 123.7 kg CO2 eq./ton PS was detected caused by the automatic temperature increase (≥35 °C). The pH of acidified PS did not exceed 6.5 during the whole storage period, while it was maintained 7.3–7.7 in the control. A continuous AD reactor fed with acidified PS exhibited a higher CH4 yield of 10.0 m3 CH4/ton PS, compared to the control (5.7 m3 CH4/ton PS), due to the preservation of organic matters and added CA. In overall, about 8.5 [(4.4, storage) + (4.1, biogas)] kg of CH4/ton PS was generated from raw PS and it was reduced to 7.8 [(0.7, storage) + (7.1, biogas)] kg of CH4/ton PS by CA-acidification. Despite the carbon footprint for manufacturing CA, it was calculated that GHG reduction of 107 kg CO2 eq./ton PS could be attained by CA-acidification. In terms of economic profit, it was estimated that 6.3 USD/ton PS can be gained by CA-acidification, while it was 2.4 USD/ton PS in case of control. [Display omitted] •Citric acid addition for reducing CH4 and H2S emissions during pig slurry storage.•CH4 and H2S emissions reduction by 85–99% and 48–72% at pH ≤ 6.0, respectively.•Two times higher CH4 emissions in the pilot-scale test compared to lab-scale one.•Digester fed with stored acidified-slurry exhibited 1.7 times higher CH4 yield.•Further GHG reduction of 107.3 kg CO2 eq./ton PS and profit of 3.9 USD/ton PS