Study on improving anaerobic co-digestion of cow manure and corn straw by fruit and vegetable waste: Methane production and microbial community in CSTR process

High value-added chemical production through anaerobic codigestion of corn straw with a microbial consortium, cow manure and cow digestion solution

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the codigestion of corn straw (CS) with cow manure (CM), cow digestion solution (CD), and a strain consortium (SC) for enhanced volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. The aims of this study were to develop a sustainable technique to increase VFA yields, examine how combining microbial reagents with CS affects VFA production by functional microorganisms, and assess the feasibility of improving microbial diversity through codigestion.

METHODS

Batch experiments evaluated VFA production dynamics and microbial community changes with different combinations of CS substrates with CM, CD, and SC. Analytical methods included measuring VFAs by GC, ammonia and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by standard methods and microbial community analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

RESULTS

Codigesting CS with the strain consortium yielded initial VFA concentrations ranging from 0.6 to 1.0 g/L, which were greater than those of the other combinations (0.05-0.3 g/L). Including CM, and CD further increased VFA production to 1.0-2.0 g/L, with the highest value of 2.0 g/L occurring when all four substrates were codigested. Significant ammonium reduction (194-241 mg/L to 29-37 mg/L) and COD reduction (3310-5250 mg/L to 730-1210 mg/L) were observed. Codigestion with CM and CD had greater Shannon diversity indices (3.19-3.24) than did codigestion with the other consortia (2.26). Bacillota dominated (96.5-99.6 %), with Clostridiales playing key roles in organic matter breakdown.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the feasibility of improving VFA yields and harnessing microbial diversity through anaerobic codigestion of lignocellulosic and animal waste streams. Codigestion substantially enhanced VFA production, which was dominated by butyrate, reduced ammonium and COD, and enriched fiber-degrading and fermentative bacteria. These findings can help optimize codigestion for sustainable waste management and high-value chemical production.

Valorisation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) residues and cheese whey into volatile fatty acids for single cell protein production

The production of single cell protein (SCP) using lignocellulosic materials stands out as a promising route in the circular bioeconomy transition. However, multiple steps are necessary for lignocellulosics-to-SCP processes, involving chemical pretreatments and specific aerobic cultures. Whereas there are no studies that investigated the SCP production from lignocellulosics by using only biological processes and microbial biomass able to work both anaerobically and aerobically. In this view, the valorisation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) biomass residues (HBRs), specifically hurds and a mix of leaves and inflorescences, combined with cheese whey (CW) was investigated through a semi-continuous acidogenic co-fermentation process (co-AF). The aim of this study was to maximise HBRs conversion into VFAs to be further used as carbon-rich substrates for SCP production. Different process conditions were tested by either removing CW or increasing the amount of HBRs in terms of VS (i.e., two and four times) to evaluate the performance of the co-AF process. Increasing HBRs resulted in a proportional increase in VFA production up to 3115 mg HAc L-1, with experimental production nearly 40% higher than theoretical predictions. The synergy between HBRs and CW was demonstrated, proving the latter as essential to improve the biodegradability of the former. The produced VFAs were subsequently tested as substrates for SCP synthesis in batch aerobic tests. A biomass concentration of 2.43 g TSS L-1 was achieved with a C/N ratio of 5.0 and a pH of 9.0 after two days of aerobic fermentation, reaching a protein content of 42% (g protein per g TSS). These results demonstrate the overall feasibility of the VFA-mediated HBR-to-SCP valorisation process.

Green and facile recycling of bauxite residue to biochar-supported iron-based composite material for hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal solid waste

Industrial and municipal wastes remain significant sources of air, soil, and water pollution, thus causing adverse climate and health impacts. EU faces challenges in developing green recycling processes and reducing GHG emissions. Innovation in green catalysis is a key driver toward the fulfilment of these goals. This study demonstrated a single-step "Green Recycling" route by which different wastes e.g., industrial and bioorganic wastes are treated to produce biochar/Fe(0) (BC-Fe(0)) material. Typically, three different biomass namely organic fraction of municipal solid waste (biopulp), wheat straw (WS), and microalgae (MA) were used as green reducing agents for reducing bauxite residue (BR). Among all biomass, the high reduction potential of amino acids present in biopulp facilitated the synthesis of BC-Fe(0). BC-Fe(0) material acted as an effective catalyst for HTL of biopulp as the results showed the highest bio-crude yield (44 wt%) at 300 °C for 30 min with 10 wt% BC-Fe(0) loading (containing 2.5 wt% Fe). Furthermore, BC-Fe(0) also assisted in-situ hydrogenation and deoxygenation of chemical compounds present in the bio-liquid product, therefore bio-crude exhibited a higher H/C ratio (1.73) and lower oxygen contents (9.78 wt%) in comparison to bio-crude obtained without catalyst. However, Raw BR and reduced BR (RED) as catalysts showed no significant effect on the yield and oxygen content of bio-crude, which confirms the high catalytic activity of Fe(0) containing BC-Fe(0). Therefore, this study demonstrates the greener path for the one-step valorization of industrial and organic wastes, as an alternative to existing chemical and high temperature-based waste recycling and catalyst synthesis technologies.

Co-substrate composition is critical for enrichment of functional key species and for process efficiency during biogas production from cattle manure

Cattle manure has a low energy content and high fibre and water content, limiting its value for biogas production. Co-digestion with a more energy-dense material can improve the output, but the co-substrate composition that gives the best results in terms of degree of degradation, gas production and digestate quality has not yet been identified. This study examined the effects of carbohydrate, protein and fat as co-substrates for biogas production from cattle manure. Laboratory-scale semi-continuous mesophilic reactors were operated with manure in mono-digestion or in co-digestion with egg albumin, rapeseed oil, potato starch or a mixture of these, and chemical and microbiological parameters were analysed. The results showed increased gas yield for all co-digestion reactors, but only the reactor supplemented with rapeseed oil showed synergistic effects on methane yield. The reactor receiving potato starch indicated improved fibre degradation, suggesting a priming effect by the easily accessible carbon. Both these reactors showed increased species richness and enrichment of key microbial species, such as fat-degrading Syntrophomonadaceae and families known to include cellulolytic bacteria. The addition of albumin promoted enrichment of known ammonia-tolerant syntrophic acetate- and potential propionate-degrading bacteria, but still caused slight process inhibition and less efficient overall degradation of organic matter in general, and of cellulose in particular.

Microbial life strategy with high rRNA operon copy number facilitates the energy and nutrient flux in anaerobic digestion

Microbial life strategy, reflected by rRNA operon (rrn) copy number, determines microbial ecological roles. However, the relationship between microbial life strategy and the energy and nutrient flux in anaerobic digestion (AD) remains elusive. This study investigated microbial rrn copy number and expression ratio using amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA, and monitored CH₄ daily production to approximate the status of energy and nutrient flux in semi-continuous AD. A significantly positive correlation between the mean rrn copy number of microbial communities in digestate and CH₄ daily production was detected in the control treatment fed swine manure. The reduced feedstock complexity, by replacing parts of swine manure with fructose or apple waste, weakened the correlation. When feedstock complexity was increased again, the correlation was strengthened again. Similar results were detected in mean rrn expression ratio of microbial communities. The responses of mean rrn copy number and expression ratio of communities to feedstock addition differed between the reduced feedstock complexity and the control treatment, as well as between in digestate and in straw. Our findings reveal a novel relationship between microbial community life strategy and the energy and nutrient flux, and the roles of feedstock characteristics therein in AD.

Enhanced waste hot-pot oil (WHPO) anaerobic digestion for biomethane production: Mechanism and dynamics of fatty acids conversion

Resource depletion and climate changes due to human activities and excessive burning of fossil fuels are the driving forces to explore alternatives clean energy resources. Anaerobic digestion of bio-waste provides a unique opportunity to fulfil this objective through biogas production. The present study aimed to evaluate waste hot-pot oil (WHPO) at different feeding ratios as a novel lipidic waste for anaerobic mono-digestion. The highest recorded maximum biomethane potential (M_max) was 274.1 L kg^-1 VS at 1.2% WHPO, which showed significant differences with those of 0.8% and 1.6% (227.09 and 237.62 L kg^-1 VS, respectively). The changes in volatile fatty acids (VFAs), medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) as intermediates of WHPO decomposition were investigated before and after anaerobic digestion. Results showed efficient production and utilization of VFAs at all studied WHPO ratios, whereas the maximum utilization of VFAs (90-95%) was recorded in the reactors with up to 1.2 %WHPO. Although lipid conversion efficiency decreased by increasing the WHPO ratio, 81.2% lipid conversion efficiency was recorded at the highest applied WHPO treatment, which confirms the potential of WHPO as a promising feedstock for anaerobic digestion. The present results will have major implications towards efficient energy recovery and biochemical management of lipidic-waste through efficient anaerobic digestion.

Improving production of lactic acid and volatile fatty acids from dairy cattle manure and corn straw silage: Effects of mixing ratios and temperature

Anaerobic co-fermentation (AcoF) of dairy cattle manure (DCM) and corn straw silage (CSS) for producing lactic acid (LA) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was investigated. Batch experiments were conducted at seven different DCM/CSS ratios and at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures. Results indicated that the highest concentration of LA was 17.50 ± 0.70 g/L at DCM:CSS ratio of 1:3 and thermophilic temperature, while VFAs was 18.23 ± 2.45 g/L at mono-CSS fermentation and mesophilic temperature. High solubilization of thermophilic conditions contributed to LA accumulation in AcoF process. Presence of the CSS increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus for LA production at thermophilic. Meanwhile, the abundance of Bifidobacterium was increased when CSS was added at mesophilic, which could conduce to VFAs production. This study provides a new route for enhancing the biotransformation of DCM and CSS into short-chain fatty acids, potentially bringing economic benefits to agricultural waste treatment.

Characteristic and calculation on the co-contribution in the bio-H2 energy recovery enhancement with low temperature pretreated peanut shell as co-substrate

Bio-H₂ production from organic wastewater together with lignocellulose wastes not only achieved the H₂ energy recovery, but also be beneficial to carbon emission reduction and carbon neutralization. In order to obtain higher energy recoveries, promotion attempts were performed in bio-H₂ fermentation with low temperature (-80-0 °C) pretreated peanut shell powder (PSP) as co-substrate. A maximum H₂ production of 109.2 mL was obtained as almost double of the sum from the same amount of untreated PSP and glucose as sole substrate. The enhancement was co-contributed by 44% from PSP supplementary, 35% from low-temperature pretreatment, and 2.8% from buffer effect and acidification, respectively, and realized through C/N balancing, PSP conversion influencing, fermentative pH buffering and time prolonging. The experimental results uncovered the co-contribution realization ways of supplementing low-temperature pretreated lignocellulose wastes in the bio-H₂ fermentation system, and provided mechanism support for application potential of low-temperature pretreatment on lignocellulose wastes in cold regions.

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Pig Manure with Thermal Pretreatment: Stability Monitoring to Improve the Potential for Obtaining Methane

Monitoring and controlling stability in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems are essential, since it allows to obtain information that helps to take corrective actions in case of deviations in the system and to guarantee a stable performance in the biogas production. In this work, a pilot-scale CSRT reactor (1 m3) was monitored during the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with thermal pretreatment (80 °C) operated at thermophilic temperature (45 °C). The ratio of the volatile organic acids (FOS) to the total inorganic carbonate (TAC) and the pH were the indicators used during the monitoring process to identify deviations in the AD system. Additionally, alkaline solution NaOH (98%) was applied to counteract pH deviations and maintain stability. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biogas composition were measured during the AD process. It was found that during the AD process, the FOS/TAC was between the range of 0.5 and 1. The results revealed that, in the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with thermal pretreatment, the pH was kept stable in the range of 6.7–7.4 since no medium acidification occurred. Additionally, the tendency of the chemical oxygen demand decreased from the 10th day of operation, product of the favorable enzymatic activity of the microorganisms, reflected in the stable production of biogas (69% CH4). Finally, it is concluded that thermophilic AD of pig manure with thermal pretreatment is a good option when it is carried out efficiently by employing an adequate energetic integration.

Valorisation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) biomass residues through acidogenic fermentation and co-fermentation for volatile fatty acids production

In line with the emerging circular bioeconomy paradigm, the present study investigated the valorisation of abundant hemp biomass residues (HBRs) such as hurds (HH) and a mix of leaves and inflorescences (Mix), and other organic wastes (i.e., cheese whey and grape pomace) through the volatile fatty acid (VFA) production in mono- and co-acidogenic fermentation. The highest VFA yields, measured as acetic acid (HAc) per unit of volatile solids (VS), were obtained with the untreated Mix in mono-fermentation (185 ± 57 mg HAc/g VS) and with the combination of Mix and CW in co-fermentation (651 ± 65 mg HAc/g VS), while the highest HAc percentage reached up to 94% of total VFAs. Finally, a preliminary techno-economic evaluation revealed that the mono-fermentation of alkali pretreated HH could lead to the highest revenues among HBRs, reaching up to 710-1810, 618-1577 and 766-3722 €/ha∙year for the production of HAc, single cell protein and polyhydroxybutyrates, respectively.

Start-up of co-digestion of poultry litter and wheat straw in anaerobic sequencing batch reactor by gradually increasing organic loading rate: Methane production and microbial community analysis

Anaerobic co-digestion (ACoD) of poultry litter (PL) and wheat straw (WS) in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for continuous bio-energy generation was started up for the first time by gradually increasing the organic loading rate (OLR). A steady-state was reached with a daily biogas production of (13.06 ± 0.21) L and methane content of (54.38 ± 0.53) %. The subsequent regular operation achieved a daily methane yield of (100.41-188.65) mL CH₄/g VS added and a total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) removal rate of (70.3-85.9) % in the effluent under different operating parameters. The overall microbial community became more uniform, and the dominant aceticlastic methanogen of Methanosaeta was enriched after the start-up. While the microbial community was largely stable in the overall structure since the regular operation. Therefore, the start-up of the ACoD of PL and WS was successful with stable and continuous methane production.

Effect of fruits and vegetables in the anaerobic digestion of food waste from university restaurant

The aim of this study was to evaluate the theoretical potential of methane production of the food waste generated by a university restaurant, as well as to verify the influence of the fruit and vegetable waste in the feeding composition of an anaerobic bioreactor treating this type of waste. Four feeding compositions combining three fractions of the food waste (fruit and vegetable fraction, soy protein and beans fraction, and rice fraction) at different concentrations were tested in anaerobic processes lasting 10 and 30 days. Additionally, a study of the theoretical potential of methane production from each fraction that composes the food waste was carried out, as well as the evaluation of the specific methanogenic activity of the anaerobic sludge. Despite its low theoretical potential of methane production (0.037 L_CH4/g), the presence of the fruit and vegetable mixture in three of the feeding compositions led to greater organic matter degradation (above 69%) and CH₄ yields (above 0.20 L_CH4/g_VS) in both periods tested, in comparison with the achieved by the feeding composition lacking this fraction. The results suggest that the presence of the fruit and vegetable mixture contributed with the supplementation of micro- and macroelements to the anaerobic sludge during the digestion of food waste.

Study on anaerobic co-digestion of municipal sewage sludge and fruit and vegetable wastes: Methane production, microbial community and three-dimension fluorescence excitation-emission matrix analysis

Constantly increased sewage sludge (SS) and fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) are becoming the major organic solid wastes in human society. Thus, anaerobic digestion is employed as a low carbon energy strategy to reduce their environmental pollution risk. Anaerobic co-digestion system was developed based on the carbon to nitrogen ratio strategy. Results showed that the daily biogas production was higher in co-digester, and the volumetric biogas production rate (VBPR) significantly enhanced for 1.3 ∼ 3 folds, and the highest VBPR was 2.04 L/L • day with optimal OLR of 2.083 Kg L^-1 d^-1. Analytic results indicated that co-digestion could improve the biodegradable of feedstocks, which transforming to more VFAs and biogas. Compared with mono SS digester, mixed substrates relieved ammonia nitrogen inhibition and enhanced the hydrolytic acidification and methanogenesis. Meanwhile, the excessive humification of organics was suppressed. This study supported the concepts of improving carbon recovery from SS and FVW.

Evaluation of the Removal of Organic Matter and Nutrients in the Co-Treatment of Fruit and Vegetable Waste Using a Bioreactor-Constructed Wetlands System

This article presents the application of a novel system for the treatment of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) using the combination of treatment by the application of the liquid fraction to an anaerobic hydrolytic bioreactor and a constructed wetland. The batch-fed anaerobic bioreactor (AB) had an average organic loading rate of 44 g COD/L-d and a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 24 h for the degradation of the liquid fraction of the FVW with an average COD removal of 55%. Subsequently, the constructed wetlands (CWs) were fed a subsurface vertical flow of the effluent from the AB by stepwise concentration increments from 1 to 12 g COD/L and a HRT = 72 h until the limit conditions of the operation were identified. For the tropical ornamental species of the CWs in red volcanic gravel (RVG) and RVG + polyethylene (PE) supports, the monoculture of Hippeastrum rutilum and Spathiphyllum wallisii presented removals of COD, Tot-P, and TKN of 90%, 80%, and 85%, respectively. The polycultures with both species exceeded 90% effectiveness. At the end of both processes, a concentration of ~0.5 g COD/L was achieved, confirming that the use of these technologies together constitutes an efficient system for the treatment of the liquid fraction of FVW.

House fly larval grazing alters dairy cattle manure microbial communities

Background

House fly larvae (Musca domestica L.) require a live microbial community to successfully develop. Cattle manure is rich in organic matter and microorganisms, comprising a suitable substrate for larvae who feed on both the decomposing manure and the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes therein. Microbial communities change as manure ages, and when fly larvae are present changes attributable to larval grazing also occur. Here, we used high throughput sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes to characterize microbial communities in dairy cattle manure and evaluated the changes in those communities over time by comparing the communities in fresh manure to aged manure with or without house fly larvae.

Results

Bacteria, archaea and protist community compositions significantly differed across manure types (e.g. fresh, aged, larval-grazed). Irrespective of manure type, microbial communities were dominated by the following phyla: Euryarchaeota (Archaea); Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes (Bacteria); Ciliophora, Metamonanda, Ochrophyta, Apicomplexa, Discoba, Lobosa and Cercozoa (Protists). Larval grazing significantly reduced the abundances of Bacteroidetes, Ciliophora, Cercozoa and increased the abundances of Apicomplexa and Discoba. Manure aging alone significantly altered the abundance bacteria (Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Petrimonas, Succinovibro), protists (Buxtonella, Enteromonas) and archaea (Methanosphaera and Methanomassiliicoccus). Larval grazing also altered the abundance of several bacterial genera (Pseudomonas, Bacteroides, Flavobacterium, Taibaiella, Sphingopyxis, Sphingobacterium), protists (Oxytricha, Cercomonas, Colpodella, Parabodo) and archaea (Methanobrevibacter and Methanocorpusculum). Overall, larval grazing significantly reduced bacterial and archaeal diversities but increased protist diversity. Moreover, total carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN) decreased in larval grazed manure, and both TC and TN were highly correlated with several of bacterial, archaeal and protist communities.

Conclusions

House fly larval grazing altered the abundance and diversity of bacterial, archaeal and protist communities differently than manure aging alone. Fly larvae likely alter community composition by directly feeding on and eliminating microbes and by competing with predatory microbes for available nutrients and microbial prey. Our results lend insight into the role house fly larvae play in shaping manure microbial communities and help identify microbes that house fly larvae utilize as food sources in manure. Information extrapolated from this study can be used to develop manure management strategies to interfere with house fly development and reduce house fly populations.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02418-5.

Review and perspectives of enhanced volatile fatty acids production from acidogenic fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass wastes

Lignocellulosic biomass wastes are abundant resources that are usually valorized for methane-rich biogas via anaerobic digestion. Conversion of lignocellulose into volatile fatty acids (VFA) rather than biogas is attracting attention due to the higher value-added products that come with VFA utilization. This review consolidated the latest studies associated with characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass, the effects of process parameters during acidogenic fermentation, and the intensification strategies to accumulate more VFA. The differences between anaerobic digestion technology and acidogenic fermentation technology were discussed. Performance-enhancing strategies surveyed included (1) alkaline fermentation; (2) co-digestion and high solid-state fermentation; (3) pretreatments; (4) use of high loading rate and short retention time; (5) integration with electrochemical technology, and (6) adoption of membrane bioreactors. The recommended operations include: mesophilic temperature (thermophilic for high loading rate fermentation), C/N ratio (20-40), OLR (< 12 g volatile solids (VS)/(L·d)), and the maximum HRT (8-12 days), alkaline fermentation, membrane technology or electrodialysis recovery. Lastly, perspectives were put into place based on critical analysis on status of acidogenic fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass wastes for VFA production.

Efficient utilization of coal slime using anaerobic fermentation technology

In order to increase the utilization of coal slime, realize efficient utilization of resources and protect the environment, the feasibility of anaerobic fermentation technology employing coal slime was explored. The biodegradation of coal slimes and its influence on the utilization characteristics were analyzed using biogas production simulations, drying dehydration and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The results showed that the organic matter in various coal slimes could be converted to biomethane. In addition, the main methanogenic pathway was the reduction of CO₂. Moreover, lower the metamorphic degree of coal slimes and higher the ash content, more conducive were they to the dehydration of coal slimes. After biodegradation, the temperatures of four coal slimes during the stages of release of moisture, volatile combustion, residual coke combustion and burnout advanced to varying degrees. Moreover, the combustion performance improved. The research results provided a novel idea for the efficient utilization of coal slime.

Protein biomethanation: insight into the microbial nexus

Biomethanation of carbohydrates (e.g., lignocellulosic biomass) and lipids (e.g., waste oils) has been well studied. However, investigations on the biomethanation of protein-rich biowastes (PRBs) and associated microbial communities have not been reported. This review summarizes the challenges in the metabolic process of anaerobic digestion of PRBs and the microbial instability associated with it. We discuss the diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities via metagenomics under PRB mono- and codigestion. A stable community structure with enhanced metabolic activity is a core factor in PRB biomethanation. The application of strategies such as codigestion of PRBs with carbon-rich biomass and microbial stimulation/augmentation would make PRB biomethanation more feasible.

Comparison of microbial community structures between mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of vegetable waste

The anaerobic digestion performance correlates with the functional microbial community. Mesophilic and thermophilic digestions of vegetable waste were conducted, and dynamics of the microbial community were investigated. The mesophilic and thermophilic collapsed stages occurred at organic loading rates of 1.5 and 2.0 g VS/(L d) due to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids with final concentrations of 2276 and 6476 mg/L, respectively. A high concentration of volatile fatty acids caused the severe inhibition of methanogens, which finally led to the imbalance between acetogenesis and methanogenesis. The mesophilic digestion exhibited a higher microbial diversity and richness than the thermophilic digestion. Syntrophic acetate-oxidizing coupled with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant pathway in the thermophilic stable system, and acetoclastic methanogenesis in the mesophilic stable system. The dominant acidogens, syntrophus, and methanogens were unclassified_f__Anaerolineaceae (8.68%), Candidatus_Cloacamonas (19.70%), Methanosaeta (6.10%), and Methanosarcina (4.08%) in the mesophilic stable stage, and Anaerobaculum (12.59%), Syntrophaceticus (4.84%), Methanosarcina (30.58%), and Methanothermobacter (3.17%) in thermophilic stable stage. Spirochaetae and Thermotogae phyla were the characteristic microorganisms in the mesophilic and thermophilic collapsed stages, respectively. These findings provided valuable information for the deep understanding of the difference of the microbial community and methane-producing mechanism between mesophilic and thermophilic digestion of vegetable waste.

Leachate microbiome profile reveals bacteria, archaea and eukaryote dynamics and methanogenic function during solid waste decomposition

Bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community composition and dynamics in leachate during solid waste decomposition were investigated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The functional enzyme-encoding genes of methanogenic pathways were also predicted via PICRUSt. Succession of bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community composition in aerobic phase (AP), anaerobic acid phase (ACP), and methanogenic phase (MP) was observed. The main representatives of microbial phyla, genera, and species significantly (p < 0.05) differed at least two phases. Protist Ciliophora occurred at ACP and was prevalent in MP, suggesting a short food chain establishment in the methanogenesis. Bacterial, archaeal, fungi and eukaryotic community structure were all pH and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) dependent patter. Acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathways with associated functional genes differed during solid waste decomposition and were inhibited in ACP.

Effects of Adding Zero Valent Iron on the Anaerobic Digestion of Cow Manure and Lignocellulose

Previous studies showed that adding zero valent iron (ZVI) can increase the methane production and degradation rate of organic waste by improving the performance of anaerobic digester. However, our study firstly found that ZVI (37 μm, 10 g/L) inhibited the anaerobic digestion (AD) of cow manure and lignocellulose. ZVI significantly increased the methanogenic rate of cow manure in the first 6 days, but decreased the accumulative methane yield and volatile fatty acids yield by 10.3 and 12%, respectively. The effect of ZVI on AD of liquid biomass separated from cow manure was positive, but the effect on solid biomass was negative. These results indicated that ZVI enhanced the AD of easily biodegradable organics but inhibited the biodegradation of refractory organics (lignocellulose). By analyzing the varying effects of ZVI in diverse anaerobic systems, it was found that the effects were influenced by the characteristics of substrate and inoculum-substrate ratio. This study suggested that only proper ZVI addition can improve the AD process depending on the feeding materials.

Anaerobic digestion of bean straw applying a fungal pre-treatment and using cow manure as co-substrate

The significant amounts of agriculture residues such as bean straw (BS) in rural areas, advises its valorisation for energy recovery. The feasibility of using BS for biogas production through anaerobic digestion was assessed. Prior to this, a fungal pre-treatment to hydrolyse BS with Pleutorus ostreatus was studied at 30°C and 100 rpm in orbital incubators with 1, 10 and 30 mg fungus/g straw for 14, 21 and 28 days. Then, anaerobic digestion experiments were performed in batch with cow manure (CM) as co-substrate and pre-treated BS at ratios (g/g total solids) of 1/2, 1/3, 1/5 and 0/1. Maximum lignin (18%) and hemicellulose (44%) degradation occurred at 30 mg fungus/g straw and 28 days, along with the highest total methane yield (38 mL CH₄/g VS loaded). The total amount of methane decreased when increasing CM in the experiments (701.4-191.5 mL CH₄), suggesting inhibition owed to a component of CM. Self-sustained biogas production of BS occurred due to the presence of bacteria (i.e. Bacilli and Bacteroidia) and archea (i.e. Methanobacteria and Methanomicrobia). However, the usage of a full-active inoculum should be studied for higher biogas production rates.

The mechanisms of biogenic methane metabolism by synergistic biodegradation of coal and corn straw

The mechanisms associated with the biomethane metabolism through the synergistic biodegradation of both coal and corn straw were explored to improve the utilization rate of corn straw. This applies to the filling of the goaf with corn straw and the production of biomethane using indigenous bacteria in the mine water with coal. The results showed that new macromolecular substances (e.g., Tetracosane and Pentacosane) were produced on the third day. A lower coal rank leads to a lower biodegradation rate of low-molecular-weight substances (e.g., butyric acid and valeric acid). Under the addition of coal samples, the biodegradation rate of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in corn straw could reached up to 29.82%, 35.79% and 6.16%, respectively. The addition of corn straw promoted the complementary advantages of archaeal genera (such as Methanosarina and Methanospirillum) and decreased the adverse bacterial genera (such as Desulfovibrio and Pseudomonas) in the fermentation system of single coal.

Anaerobic co-digestion of cattle manure and liquid fraction of digestate (LFD) pretreated corn stover: Pretreatment process optimization and evolution of microbial community structure

Liquid fraction of digestate (LFD) was used to pretreat corn stover to enhance the biomethane production of anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) with cattle manure. The effects of LFD concentration and water content (WC) for pretreatment on co-digestion performance and microbial community structure were investigated in a batch system. Results showed that the cumulative biomethane yield (CBY) for co-digestion was improved by 16.85%-41.78% compared with the control. The highest biomethane yield of 238.25 mL g VS^-1 was obtained at 85% WC for pretreatment and a 5 M LFD concentration, and this yield was 41.78% higher than that in the control. The LFD pretreatment enriched the dominant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes), but had little influence on the prevalent archaeal genus (Euryarchaeota). This study demonstrated that LFD pretreatment can greatly enhance the biomethane yield of co-digestion of corn stover and cattle manure under optimal parameters.

Interspecies microbial nexus facilitated methanation of polysaccharidic wastes

Compositional variations in organic wastes influence microbial abundancy and syntrophy during anaerobic digestion (AD), impacting the normal performance of digesters for methanation. Investigation of the microbial dynamics during AD following augmentation with polysaccharidic wastes (PW) revealed the association of effective digester performance and methane yields with the microbial nexus. Dominance of the acidogenic saccharolytic genera, Prevotella, Eubacterium, and Lachnoclostridium, enhanced the utilization of carbohydrates (54%) in PW-augmented digesters. Spearman's rs correlation showed dynamic interspecies interactions among acetogenic syntrophs, and that of iron oxidizers/reducers with acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Propionate oxidizers in Chloroflexi (i.e., Bellilinea, Levilinea, and Longilinea) exhibited positive associations with acetoclastic methanogens. Increase in the population of acetoclastic methanogens (Methanosaeta, 77% and Methanosarcina, 9%) accelerated the methanogenic activity of PW-augmented digesters by 7 times during the exponential phase, increasing the methane yield (75%) compared to the control. Thus, microbial syntrophy facilitated the effective methanation of PW during AD process.

Experimental and feasibility assessment of biogas production by anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable waste from Joburg Market

Substrate-induced instability of anaerobic digestion from fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) results in low biogas yield. In this study, substrate management through fruit to vegetable mix ratio in a two-stage semi-continuous digester was investigated as a pathway for optimality of yield. The experiment conducted over 105 days with 62.52 kg of FVWs sourced from Joburg Market, South Africa showed that a stable process was achieved at a fruit to vegetable waste mix ratio of 2.2:2.8. At this ratio, optimal organic loading rate ranged between 2.68 and 2.97 kg VS/m³-d which resulted in a specific biogas yield of 0.87 Nm³/kg VS with 57.58% methane on average. The results of the experimental study were used as a feasibility assessment for a full-scale 45 tonnes/d plant for Joburg Market considering three energy pathways. The plant will produce 1,605,455 Nm³/y of biogas with the potential for offsetting 15.2% of the Joburg Market energy demand. Conversion of all biogas to biomethane was the most economically attractive energy pathway with a net present value of $2,428,021, an internal rate of return of 16.90% and a simple payback period of 6.17 years. This route avoided the greenhouse gas emission of 12,393 tonnes CO₂, eq. The study shows that the anaerobic digestion of FVWs as sole substrate is possible with financial and environmental attractiveness.

Biomethanation potential for co-digestion of municipal solid waste and rice straw: A batch study

Rice straw (RS) contains a high amount of lignocellulosic materials which are difficult to degrade without thermal pretreatment. In the present study, co-digestion of municipal solid waste (MSW) and RS was carried out in three different ratios i.e., 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 to get the maximum biomethanation potential and methane generation rate constant (k). The biogas and methane (CH₄) potential increased by 60% and 57%, respectively for MSW and RS in the ratio 2:1 as compared to other combination. The values of k, biochemical methane potential (µ_b) and sludge activity were measured as 0.1 d^-1, 0.99 CH₄-COD/COD_fed and 0.50 g CH₄-COD/g VSS, respectively. The sludge activity was found to be 100% for 2:1 ratio. Co-digestion of RS with MSW can also optimize the C/N ratio which is an essential parameter in the anaerobic digestion process.

Effect of organic loading rate on anaerobic co-digestion of rice straw and pig manure with or without biological pretreatment

In this study, rice straw (RS) and pig manure (PM) mixtures with or without bio-pretreatment were used as the substrates and digested in a 9 L of anaerobic reactor at Organic loading rates (OLRs) of 0.4-3.1 kg COD/(m³ d). The volumetric methane production rate (VMPR), methane yield and anaerobic stability were comparatively investigated. The results showed the co-anaerobic digestion processes of RS and PM mixture after biological pretreatment were very stable at OLRs of 0.4-2.5 kg COD/(m³ d), and its optimal VMPR and methane yield could reach 0.64 L CH₄/(L d) and 0.4557 L CH₄/g COD_removed at OLR of 2.5 kg COD/(m³ d), which were 62.4% and 37.8% higher than those of the control under the same OLR condition. This study indicated the biological pretreatment with a cellulolytic microbial consortium own great potential in improving the methane yield and productivity of RS and PM wastes.