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Anaerobic digestion in Uganda: risks and opportunities for integration of waste management and agricultural systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2019

A. I. McCord ,
S. A. Stefanos ,
V. Tumwesige ,
D. Lsoto ,
M. Kawala ,
J. Mutebi ,
I. Nansubuga  and
R. A. Larson Open the ORCID record for R. A. Larson [Opens in a new window]
A. I. McCord
Affiliation:
African Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
S. A. Stefanos
Affiliation:
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
V. Tumwesige
Affiliation:
W2E Uganda Ltd., Kampala, Uganda Green Heat Uganda Ltd., Kampala, Uganda School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
D. Lsoto
Affiliation:
W2E Uganda Ltd., Kampala, Uganda
M. Kawala
Affiliation:
W2E Uganda Ltd., Kampala, Uganda
J. Mutebi
Affiliation:
W2E Uganda Ltd., Kampala, Uganda
I. Nansubuga
Affiliation:
National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Kampala, Uganda
R. A. Larson*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
*
Author for correspondence: R. A. Larson, E-mail: rebecca.larson@wisc.edu
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Abstract

Much of the global population lacks access to basic public sanitation, energy and fertilizers. Micro-scale anaerobic digestion presents an opportunity for low-cost decentralized waste management that creates valuable co-products of renewable energy and organic fertilizer. However, field-based assessments of system performance and clearly articulated guidelines for digestate management and field application are needed. Feedstocks and effluent from seven digesters in Kampala, Uganda were monitored for standard wastewater and fertilizer metrics including indicator organisms (Escherichia coli and fecal coliform), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorous (TP), heavy metals, pH, temperature and total solids (TS) over 2 yr. Results reveal that digester effluent does not meet standards for wastewater discharge or international safety standards for field application. Data indicate that digestate could be a suitable source of fertilizer (TKN = 1467 mg L−1, TP = 214 mg L−1) but poses issues for water quality if not managed properly (TS = 26,091 mg L−1, COD = 3471 mg L−1 and BOD5 = 246 mg L−1). While effluent from the digester contained pathogen indicator organisms (fecal coliform = 8.13 × 105 CFU/100 ml, E. coli = 3.27 × 105 CFU/100 ml), they were lower than the influent concentrations, and lower than reported concentrations in drainage canals. All digestate samples contained little to no heavy metals suggesting effective source separation. Data suggest that micro-scale biogas systems have potential to improve waste handling and meet standards associated with fertilizer application with proper post-digestion treatment.

Keywords

Land application of wastenutrientspathogen indicator organismswaste processing
Type
Research Paper
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , December 2020 , pp. 678 - 687
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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