TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of inoculum-to-substrate ratio on biogas enhancement during biochar-assisted co-digestion of food waste and sludge
AU - Davidraj, Johnravindar
AU - Kumar, Rajat
AU - Luo, Liwen
AU - Zhao, Jun
AU - Mathikere Krishnegowda, Manu
AU - Wang, Hailong
AU - Wong, Jonathan W.C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
The authors would like thank the Environmental and Conservation Fund (ECF), Hong Kong special administrative region (Grant No, ECF Project 108/208) for financial support.
PY - 2023/1/2
Y1 - 2023/1/2
N2 - High accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) is one of the major concerns during mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of food waste (FW) and sewage sludge (SS). Therefore, improving the stability of the anaerobic digestion process could surpass quick acidification while accelerating methanogenesis. In this study, the suitability of biochar-assisted co-digestion was evaluated at different inoculum and substrate ratios (I/S ratios: 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9). The maximum methane yield of 256.85 mL/gVSadd was observed at an I/S ratio of 0.6. The results indicated fast volatile solid removal (∼ 47.17% to 73%) and a critical role of biochar addition in alleviating the underlying inhibitions. Substantial changes in the microbial community composition including Methanosata, Methanobrevibacter, and Methanosarcina were also observed which predominated and stabilised the methanogenesis process at higher I/S ratios. These results emphasised that the anaerobic co-digestion of FW/sludge is a promising approach, wherein the biochar amendment at different I/S ratios should be well maintained to avoid inhibitions from excess microbial VFA acidification of organic waste feedstocks.
AB - High accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) is one of the major concerns during mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of food waste (FW) and sewage sludge (SS). Therefore, improving the stability of the anaerobic digestion process could surpass quick acidification while accelerating methanogenesis. In this study, the suitability of biochar-assisted co-digestion was evaluated at different inoculum and substrate ratios (I/S ratios: 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9). The maximum methane yield of 256.85 mL/gVSadd was observed at an I/S ratio of 0.6. The results indicated fast volatile solid removal (∼ 47.17% to 73%) and a critical role of biochar addition in alleviating the underlying inhibitions. Substantial changes in the microbial community composition including Methanosata, Methanobrevibacter, and Methanosarcina were also observed which predominated and stabilised the methanogenesis process at higher I/S ratios. These results emphasised that the anaerobic co-digestion of FW/sludge is a promising approach, wherein the biochar amendment at different I/S ratios should be well maintained to avoid inhibitions from excess microbial VFA acidification of organic waste feedstocks.
KW - Anaerobic co-digestion
KW - biochar
KW - food waste
KW - inoculum-to-substrate ratio
KW - microbial community
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145508571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09593330.2022.2161949
DO - 10.1080/09593330.2022.2161949
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36546529
AN - SCOPUS:85145508571
SN - 0959-3330
JO - Environmental Technology (United Kingdom)
JF - Environmental Technology (United Kingdom)
ER -
