Globally, 2.7 billion people are using onsite sanitation systems, particularly in low income, high density settlements (LIHDS) in urban areas of developing countries. However, treatment technologies to manage the faecal sludge (FS) generated from these systems are often not in place, leading to high risks for environmental and public health. The development of replicable and effective technologies for FS treatment is key in addressing this challenge. This research focused on development of an innovative FS stabilisation technology and addressed key constraints in anaerobic FS treatment: inadequate pathogen inactivation and limitations in biochemical energy recovery. The developed two-stage reactor system consists of an acidogenic reactor fed with mixtures of FS and market waste to facilitate pathogen inactivation, and a subsequent methanogenic plug-flow reactor for enhanced methane production. Due to its potential for application as an off-site FS treatment technology at any scale, receiving any type of faecal matter, collected from different types of sanitary systems, the system provides an option for FS stabilisation for LIHDS. Additionally, the research evaluated the limitations of sanitation provision in LIHDS, and proposes methods for creating an enabling environment for fullscale implementation of onsite systems. The presented results contribute to designing appropriate sanitation interventions in LIHDS.

Biochemical energy recovery using digestion and co-digestion of faecal matter collected from urine diverting dehydrating toilet faeces (UDDT-F) and mixed organic market waste (OMW) was studied under laboratory-and pilot-scale conditions. Laboratory-scale biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests showed an increase in methane production with an increase in OMW fraction in the feed substrate. In subsequent pilot-scale experiments, one-stage and two-stage plug flow digester were researched, applying UDDT-F:OMW ratios of 4:1 and 1:0, at about 10 and 12% total solids (TS) slurry concentrations. Comparable methane production was observed in one-stage (R_o-4:1,12%) (314 ± 15 mL CH₄/g VS added) and two-stage (R_am-4:1,12%) (325 ± 12 mL CH₄ /g VS added) digesters, when applying 12% TS slurry concentration. However, biogas production in R_am-4:1,12% digester (571 ± 25 mL CH₄/g VS added) was about 12% higher than in R_o-4:1,12%, significantly more than the slight difference in methane production, i.e. 3–4%. The former was attributed to enhanced waste solubilisation and increased CO₂ dissolution, resulting from mixing the bicarbonate-rich methanogenic effluent for neutralisation purposes with the low pH (4.9) influent acquired from the pre-acidification stage. Moreover, higher process stability was observed in the first parts of the plug flow two-stage digester, characterised by lower VFA concentrations.

Digestion and co-digestion of faecal matter collected from urine diverting dehydrating toilet faeces (UDDT-F) and mixed organic market waste (OMW) was studied in single stage pilot scale mesophilic plug-flow anaerobic reactors at UDDT-F:OMW ratios 4:1 and 1:0. Escherichia coli inactivation and volatile fatty acids (VFA) build-up was monitored at sampling points located along the reactor profile. When applying UDDT-F:OMW ratio of 4:1 at 12% total solids (TS), E. coli inactivation achieved was 2.3 log times higher than that achieved in UDDT-F:OMW ratio of 1:0. In subsequent trials, a two-stage reactor was researched, applying a UDDT-F:OMW ratio of 4:1 and 10 or 12% TS slurry concentrations. Highest VFA concentrations of 16.3 ± 1.3 g/L were obtained at a pH of 4.9 in the hydrolysis/ acidogenesis reactor, applying a UDDT-F:OMW ratio of 4:1 and 12% TS, corresponding to a non-dissociated (ND)-VFA concentration of 6.9 ± 2.0 g/L. The corresponding decay rate reached a value of 1.6 per day. In the subsequent methanogenic plug-flow reactor, a decay rate of 1.1 per day was attained within the first third part of the reactor length, which declined to 0.6 per day within the last third part of the reactor length. Results show that a two-stage system is an efficient way to enhance pathogen inactivation during anaerobic digestion.

This study examined the potential of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides) eggs inactivation in faecal matter coming from urine diverting dehydrating toilets (UDDT-F) by applying high concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) during anaerobic stabilization. The impact of individual VFAs on E. coli and A. lumbricoides eggs inactivation in UDDT-F was assessed by applying various concentrations of store-bought acetate, propionate and butyrate. High VFA concentrations were also obtained by performing co-digestion of UDDT-F with organic market waste (OMW) using various mixing ratios. All experiments were performed under anaerobic conditions in laboratory scale batch assays at 35±1 °C. A correlation was observed between E. coli log inactivation and VFA concentration. Store bought VFA spiked UDDT-F substrates achieved E. coli inactivation up to 4.7 log units/day compared to UDDT-F control sample that achieved 0.6 log units/day. In co-digesting UDDT-F and organic market waste (OMW), a ND-VFA concentration of 4800–6000 mg/L was needed to achieve E. coli log inactivation to below detectable levels and complete A. lumbricoides egg inactivation in less than four days. E. coli and A. lumbricoides egg inactivation was found to be related to the concentration of non-dissociated VFA (ND-VFA), increasing with an increase in the OMW fraction in the feed substrate. Highest ND-VFA concentration of 6500 mg/L was obtained at a UDDT-F:OMW ratio 1:1, below which there was a decline, attributed to product inhibition of acidogenic bacteria. Results of our present research showed the potential for E. coli and A. lumbricoides inactivation from UDDT-F up to WHO standards by allowing VFA build-up during anaerobic stabilization of faecal matter.