Simultaneous biogas and biogas slurry production from co-digestion of pig manure and corn straw: Performance optimization and microbial community shift

Mango Peel Nanofiltration Concentrates to Enhance Anaerobic Digestion of Slurry from Piglets Fed with Laminaria

The environmental impact of biowaste generated during animal production can be mitigated by applying a circular economy model: recycling, reinventing the life cycle of biowaste, and developing it for a new use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding sugar concentrate solutions obtained from the nanofiltration of fruit biowaste (mango peel) to slurry from piglets fed with diets incorporating macroalgae on biogas production performance. The nanofiltration of ultrafiltration permeates from aqueous extracts of mango peel was carried out using membranes with a molecular weight cut-off of 130 Da until a volume concentration factor of 2.0 was reached. A slurry resulting from piglets fed with an alternative diet with the incorporation of 10% Laminaria was used as a substrate. Three different trials were performed sequentially: (i) a control trial (AD₀) with faeces resulting from a cereal and soybean-meal-based diet (S0); (ii) a trial with S₁ (10% L. digitata) (AD₁), and (iii) an AcoD trial to assess the effect of the addition of a co-substrate (20%) to S1 (80%). The trials were performed in a continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) under mesophilic conditions (37.0 ± 0.4 °C), with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 13 days. The specific methane production (SMP) increased by 29% during the anaerobic co-digestion process. These results can support the design of alternative valorisation routes for these biowastes, contributing to sustainable development goals.

Response of earthworms to microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation: Toxicity comparison of conventional and biodegradable microplastics

As a reliable environment-friendly alternative, biodegradable plastic mulching films have been introduced into agricultural practice to reduce the adverse threats posed by conventional plastic products. Information regarding whether potential untoward effects of biodegradable plastics exist in soil and how strong are such effects on terrestrial organisms, however, still remains unknown. This study examined differences in the responses of earthworm, represented by Eisenia fetida, to exposure to biodegradable (PLA: polylactic acid) and conventional microplastics (PVC: polyvinylchloride, LDPE: low-density polyethylene) in soil with biogas slurry irrigation. Mortality, growth, histopathology and biochemical enzymes of the earthworms exposed to different concentrations of microplastics (5, 20 and 50 g/kg wet weight of soil, respectively) were investigated after 28 days of incubation in the experiment. The obtained results showed that the ecotoxicity of microplastics (MPs) to earthworms was time-dependent. Regardless of MPs type, continuous exposure to MPs at the concentration of 50 g/kg induced mucous vacuolization, longitude muscle disorder, and granular lipofuscin-like deposits generation in the epithelium. Moreover, tissue fibrosis and cavity formation were also observed in intestinal tissue. The presence of MPs stimulated the oxidative stress system of the earthworms, as indicated by the enhancement of malonaldehyde (MDA) content in vivo. The antioxidative defense system in earthworms was supposed to collapse at the MPs concentration of 50 g/kg after 28 days of exposure. Interestingly, PLA exhibited similar ecotoxicity effects with LDPE, which might violate the original intention of biodegradable plastics with less harmful or nontoxic influence on the terrestrial biotas. Thus, knowledge regarding the molecular and genetic mechanisms of the earthworms in soil containing biodegradable plastics should be further explored to better understand the risk posed by biodegradable plastics in the agroecosystem.

Influence of Molasses Residue on Treatment of Cow Manure in an Anaerobic Filter with Perforated Weed Membrane and a Conventional Reactor: Variations of Organic Loading and a Machine Learning Application

This study highlighted the influence of molasses residue (MR) on the anaerobic treatment of cow manure (CM) at various organic loading and mixing ratios of these two substrates. Further investigation was conducted on a model-fitting comparison between a kinetic study and an artificial neural network (ANN) using biomethane potential (BMP) test data. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and an anaerobic filter with a perforated membrane (AF) were fed with similar substrate at the organic loading rates of (OLR) 1 to OLR 7 g/L/day. Following the inhibition signs at OLR 7 (50:50 mixing ratio), 30:70 and 70:30 ratios were applied. Both the CSTR and the AF with the co-digestion substrate (CM + MR) successfully enhanced the performance, where the CSTR resulted in higher biogas production (29 L/d), SMP (1.24 LCH₄/gVS_added), and VS removal (>80%) at the optimum OLR 5 g/L/day. Likewise, the AF showed an increment of 69% for biogas production at OLR 4 g/L/day. The modified Gompertz (MG), logistic (LG), and first order (FO) were the applied kinetic models. Meanwhile, two sets of ANN models were developed, using feedforward back propagation. The FO model provided the best fit with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) (57.204) and correlation coefficient (R²) 0.94035. Moreover, implementing the ANN algorithms resulted in 0.164 and 0.97164 for RMSE and R², respectively. This reveals that the ANN model exhibited higher predictive accuracy, and was proven as a more robust system to control the performance and to function as a precursor in commercial applications as compared to the kinetic models. The highest projection electrical energy produced from the on-farm scale (OFS) for the AF and the CSTR was 101 kWh and 425 kWh, respectively. This investigation indicates the high potential of MR as the most suitable co-substrate in CM treatment for the enhancement of energy production and the betterment of waste management in a large-scale application.

The Role of Slurry Reflux in a Corn Stalk Continuous Anaerobic Digestion System: Performance and Microbial Community

Slurry reflux is a low-cost slurry reduction technology, which can solve the problem that a large amount of slurry cannot be completely consumed in a biogas plant. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of corn stalks with slurry reflux and non-reflux was compared and evaluated in continuous anaerobic digestion to clarify the effects of slurry reflux on AD with organic loading rate (OLR) variation. It was found that slurry reflux increased cumulative methane production and improved system stability. The average methane yield of the slurry reflux group was 224.19 mL/gVS, which was 41.35% higher than that of the non-reflux group. High-throughput sequencing results showed that slurry reflux increased the microbial community richness. The dominant microorganisms in the reflux group were in phylum Bacteroidetes, which have the capacity to degrade polymers, and Methanothrix, which is an aceticlastic methanogen. The relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Methanothrix were 32.41% and 41.75%, respectively. Clostridium III and Saccharofermentans, which are related to syntrophic acetate oxidation and hydrolysis, were increased in relative abundance in the slurry reflux system. The increase of the OLR altered the main methane-producing pathway from the acetoclastic methanogenic pathway to the hydrogenotrophic methanogenic pathway in the AD system, and the slurry reflux can delay this trend. This study provided an effective way for the reduction and utilization of slurry in a biogas plant.

Flushing control strategies to improve the stability of a biogas slurry drip irrigation system: Behavioral characteristics and mechanisms

Biogas slurry drip irrigation can mitigate environmental pollution and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers to enable sustainable development. However, the stability of the biogas slurry drip irrigation system (BSDIS) is disrupted by emitter clogging; hence, it is essential to explore the flushing control strategy of BSDIS. By means of combining actual measurement and simulation, this study investigates the BSDIS stability based on the three technical parameters of the flushing control strategy. Appropriate flushing control strategies can improve system stability and cause spatial differences on the drip irrigation tape. Under various flushing control strategies, the system stability primarily undergoes delays, sensitivity, and ineffectiveness of flushing with time. Compared with the without flushing and emitter outlet downward-oriented treatment, the optimal flushing combination (the high frequency flushing + emitter outlet upward-oriented treatment) reduces the emitter clogging content by approximately 70.97% and increases system stability by 189.1%. In the internal hydrodynamics, the laying direction of emitters does not change the movement characteristics of water flow, although the clogging particles do not completely follow the water flow, with some particles settling owing to gravity, thereby clotting the emitters. When clogging occurs, the increase in flushing speed is conducive to the increase in turbulent kinetic energy on the inlet surface of the emitter, which facilitate the flushing of clogged substances. This study proposes optimal flushing strategy parameters along with a new management mode for the waste liquid represented by biogas slurry.

Biodigestion System Made of Polyethylene and Polystyrene Insulator for Dog Farm (on the Example of the Republic of Chile)

Anaerobic digestion is a system that can have a high environmental impact through the use of different wastes to obtain biogas and its consequent use for the generation of renewable energy. The objective of this study was to implement a polyethylene biodigester, using polystyrene for thermal insulation in a dog kennel, using canine feces collected in the same place during a period of 5 months to obtain biogas and energy. The results indicated that biogas production started on day 30 and stopped during the winter period with low temperatures; therefore, from day 54 onwards, equine manure was added to continue producing biogas. Although biogas was obtained, the biodigester did not function optimally, due to the fact that the materials used in its construction did not provide efficient insulation from the low external temperatures; the low C/N ratio of the canine feces, which led to a reduction in the processing of the methanogenic bacteria; and the low amount of feces collected for use. In general, the use of a biodigester can provide a tool for the biological processing and management of organic waste, yielding a cumulative source of renewable energy and ensuring environmental safety.

The Effect of Operating Strategies on the Anaerobic Digestion of Gentamicin Mycelial Residues: Insights into the Enhancement of Methane Production and Attenuation of Gentamicin Resistance

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely employed for converting various biowastes into renewable energy. However, AD of gentamicin mycelial residues (GMRs, a byproduct of gentamicin production) is limited by ammonia inhibition and antimicrobial resistance risk. Compared to mesophilic AD (MMAD) of GMRs, this study looked into three semicontinuous AD processes, i.e., codigestion with wheat straw, thermophilic digestion (TAcoD), and AD at shortened retention time (RT). Results showed that a stable and safe AD could be achieved under suitable operating conditions. Co-digestion could effectively mitigate the adverse effect of ammonia inhibition. The methane production increased by 35.86% in TAcoD compared to that in MMAD and 43.99% of hazardous waste was reduced in TAcoD. Concerning the antimicrobial resistance of AD system, gentamicin was degraded efficiently and the degradation process was not involved in the expression of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) related to modifying enzyme. Effective removal of ARGs under three operating strategies was associated with a higher reduction in bacterial abundance of potential hosts. In addition, the changes in the relevant proteins for transformation and conjugation as predicted by PICRUSt suggested that thermophilic condition and shorter RT were conducive to the reduction of the dissemination risks of ARGs.

Biotechnological interventions in food waste treatment for obtaining value-added compounds to combat pollution

Over the last few decades, the globe is facing tremendous effects due to the unnecessary piling of municipal solid waste among which food waste holds a greater portion. This practice not only affects the environment in terms of generating greenhouse gas emissions but when left dumped in landfills will also trigger poverty and malnutrition. This review focuses on the global trend in food waste management strategies involved in the effective utilization of food waste to produce various value-added products in a microbiology aspect, thereby diminishing the negative impacts caused by the unnecessary side effects of non-renewable energy sources. The review also detailed the efficiency of microorganisms in the production of various bio-energies as well. Further, recent attempts to the exploitation of genetically modified microorganisms in producing value-added products were enlisted. This also attempted to address food waste valorization techniques, the combined applications of various processes for an enhanced yield of different compounds, and addressed various challenges. Further, the current challenges involved in various processes and the effective measures to tackle them in the future have been addressed. Thus, the present review has successfully addressed the circular bio-economy in food waste valorization.

Enhanced biogas production from food waste and activated sludge using advanced techniques - A review

Biogas generation using food waste anaerobic co-digestion with activated sludge provides a cleaner addressable system, an excellent solution to global challenges, the increasing energy demands, fuel charges, pollution and wastewater treatment. Regardless of the anaerobic digestate end product values, the technology lacks efficiency and process instability due to substrate irregularities. Process parameters and substrate composition, play a vital role in the efficiency and outcome of the system. Intrinsic biochar properties such as pore size, specific surface properties and cation exchange capacity make it an ideal additive that enriches microbial functions and enhances anaerobic digestion. The pretreatment and co-digestion of food waste and activated sludge are found to be significant for efficient biogas generation. The advantages, drawbacks, limitations, and technical improvements are covered extensively in the present review besides the recent advancement in the anaerobic digestion system.

Effect of wheat straw pretreated with liquid fraction of digestate from different substrates on anaerobic digestion performance and microbial community characteristics

The effects of liquid fraction of digestate (LFD) pretreatment on anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and microbial community characteristics were estimated. Prior to AD, LFD (LFD_SM, LFD_FW, and LFD_WS) collected separately from three continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) using swine manure (SM), food waste (FW), and wheat straw (WS) as the mono-substrate was applied to pretreat WS. The results showed that AD with LFD pretreatment resulted in biomethane yields of 240.2-277.9 mL·gVS^-1, a 33.57%-54.54% improvement over the yield of the control, and also produced a time saving of 32.26%-46.77%. The pretreatment parameters were optimized for LFD pretreatment. The enhancement effect was in the order of LFD_FW > LFD_SM > LFD_WS. Simultaneously, the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contents in the WS and their characteristics (surface properties, crystallinity index, etc.) varied accordingly. The function of the microbial community was strengthened during the pretreatment stage, but the structure of the microbial community had a clear response to the LFD source substrates. Bacteroidetes was the most dominant phyla and was positively correlated with the hydrolysis rate. Consequently, the LFD from the different substrates used as pretreat agents could improve the AD performance of WS.

Effect of microwave/hydrothermal combined ionic liquid pretreatment on straw: Rumen anaerobic fermentation and enzyme hydrolysis

To explore green technology for wheat straw pretreatment, this study combined the microwave or hydrothermal with ionic liquid ([Bmim][OAc]) on wheat straw followed by rumen fermentation. The optimal conditions of microwave assisted ionic liquids pretreatment (M-I) and hydrothermal assisted ionic liquids pretreatment (H-I) treatment were 360 W and 200 °C, and the corresponding lignin removal rates reached 35.3% and 25.4%, respectively. Rumen fermentation showed that the highest volatile fatty acid (VFA) yield was found in M-I group, followed by H-I group at 234 and 180 mg/g, respectively. As for enzymatic hydrolysis, the saccharification rates at 3 days of M-I (360 W) and H-I (200 °C) were determined to be 393 and 320 mg/g. The optimal ionic liquid dosage was determined to be 30% in consideration of cost and VFA conversion rate. M-I pretreatment plus the rumen fermentation enjoyed the benefit of no enzyme addition and high product recovery, which was worth further investigating.

Effects of organic loading rate and pretreatments on digestion performance of corn stover and chicken manure in completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR)

The performance, system stability, and microbial community response in anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of corn stover (CS) and chicken manure (CM) were investigated by running completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) under controlled organic loading rate (OLR). Prior to anaerobic digestion (AD), potassium hydroxide (KOH) or liquid fraction of digestate (LFD) was applied to pretreat CS, respectively. The results showed that the daily biogas production (DBP) in co-digestion showed a gradual increasing trend with an increase in the OLR from 65 g TS·L^-1 to 100 g TS·L^-1. The daily methane production per g volatile solids (DMP-VS) in co-digestion increased by 23.0%-27.1%, 18.7%-18.8%, and 17.5%-18.0% at the OLRs of 65, 80, and 100 g TS·L^-1, respectively, upon pretreatment with KOH or LFD, as compared to that in co-digestion CSTR without any pretreatment. In addition, all co-digestion CSTRs were operated in stable state. Approximately half of the total carbon in the substrates was recovered in the form of a biogas product, with the carbon mass balance being impacted by the OLR as well as pretreatment. The diversity as well as function of the microbial community varied in response to different OLRs and pretreatment methods. The majority of bacterial genera were strongly correlated with operational parameters. The study indicates that management of OLR and selection of proper pretreatment method could enhance the efficiency and productivity of CS and CM co-digestion in CSTR.

Effects of Microbial Inoculation with Different Indigenous Bacillus Species on Physicochemical Characteristics and Bacterial Succession during Short-Term Composting

Bacillus accelerates lignocellulose degradation, promotes the stabilization and resource utilization of compost by secreting enzymes, and plays an important role in compost formation and quality control. This study evaluated enzyme activity, lignocellulosic degradation, and bacterial succession in composting inoculated with different microbial Bacillus agents. They were identified as B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. thermoamylovorans, B. thermoruber, and B. hisashii. Four treatments were established, including a CK (uninoculated microorganisms), A (B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. thermoamylovorans,and B. hisashii), B (B. subtilis, B. thermoamylovorans, B. thermoruber, and B. hisashii), and C (B. subtilis, B. thermoamylovorans, and B. hisashii), and the composting lasted 7–14 days. Lignin and cellulose degradation rates in B during composting were 17.1% and 36.7% at the cooling stage, respectively. Redundancy analysis showed that degradation of lignocellulose in the thermophilic stage was mainly related to the secretion of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes after microbial inoculation. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that Bacillus (20.3%) and Thermobifida (20.2%) were the dominant genera. Inoculation with a combination including B. thermoruber was a feasible way to increase lignocellulose degradation and promote maturity in sewage sludge composting.

Responses of methane production, microbial community and antibiotic resistance genes to the mixing ratio of gentamicin mycelial residues and wheat straw in anaerobic co-digestion process

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of gentamicin mycelial residues (GMRs), a kind of nitrogen-rich biowaste, and wheat straw (WS) is an attractive technology for the recycling of GMRs. However, the effects of the co-substrate ratio on methane production, system stability and antimicrobial resistance during co-digestion remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to fill in the blanks through AcoD of GMRs and WS with different mixing ratios (1:0, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 0:1, VS basis) via batch tests. Results showed that AcoD facilitated methane production than mono anaerobic digestion and reduced the accumulation of the toxic substances, such as ammonia nitrogen and humic-like substances. The maximum methane production was obtained at the reactors with the mixing ratio of 1:1 and 1:2 (R-1:1 and R-1:2), which matched with the relative abundance of key enzymes related to methanogenesis predicted by PICRUSt. Microbial community analysis indicated that Methanosaeta was the most dominant methanogen in the AcoD reactors. The highest relative abundance of Methanosaeta (45.1%) was obtained at R-1:1 due to the appropriate AcoD conditions, thus, providing greater possibilities for high stability of AcoD system. Additionally, AcoD of the GMRs and WS under the mixing ratio of 1:1 and 1:2 did not prompt the increase of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Not only that, the likelihood of horizontal gene transfer declined in R-1:1 due to the weaker connection and transport between host and recipient bacteria. Findings of this study suggested that the suitable mixing ratio of GMRs and WS contributes to methane production and system stability, and reduces the dissemination risks of ARGs.

Overview on agricultural potentials of biogas slurry (BGS): applications, challenges, and solutions

The residual slurry obtained from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of biogas feed substrates such as livestock dung is known as BGS. BGS is a rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds having an important role in establishing diverse microbial communities, accelerating nutrient use efficiency, and promoting overall soil and plant health management. However, challenges such as lower C/N transformation rates, ammonia volatilization, high pH, and bulkiness limit their extensive applications. Here we review the strategies of BGS valorization through microbial and organomineral amendments. Such cohesive approaches can serve dual purposes viz. green organic inputs for sustainable agriculture practices and value addition of biomass waste. The literature survey has been conducted to identify the knowledge gaps and critically analyze the latest technological interventions to upgrade the BGS for potential applications in agriculture fields. The major points are as follows: (1) Bio/nanotechnology-inspired approaches could serve as a constructive platform for integrating BGS with other organic materials to exploit microbial diversity dynamics through multi-substrate interactions. (2) Advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) pave an ideal pathway to study the complex microflora and translate the potential information into bioprospecting of BGS to ameliorate existing bio-fertilizer formulations. (3) Nanoparticles (NPs) have the potential to establish a link between syntrophic bacteria and methanogens through direct interspecies electron transfer and thereby contribute towards improved efficiency of AD. (4) Developments in techniques of nutrient recovery from the BGS facilities' negative GHGs emissions and energy-efficient models for nitrogen removal. (5) Possibilities of formulating low-cost substrates for mass-multiplication of beneficial microbes, bioprospecting of such microbes to produce bioactive compounds of anti-phytopathogenic activities, and developing BGS-inspired biofertilizer formulations integrating NPs, microbial inoculants, and deoiled seed cakes have been examined.

Labile carbon feedstocks trigger a priming effect in anaerobic digestion: An insight into microbial mechanisms

The mechanisms underlying the advanced performance in anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) are crucial but remain elusive. This study conducted AcoD of swine manure, rice straw and apple waste (AW, mainly consisting of labile carbon) or fructose (a pure labile carbon), and monitored microbial community abundances, activities and transcriptional profiles in the digestate and on straw. The transformation efficiencies of manure (not straw) to CH₄ were promoted in AcoD co-fed manure and AW (by 39 ± 13%) or fructose (by 65 ± 14%), compared to the control mono-fed manure, implying labile carbon could trigger a priming effect underlying AcoD advantage. Although digestate-associated and straw-associated communities existed in a same bioreactor, the priming effect mainly linked to the former and was attributed to enhancements in deterministic turnover of active communities, in activities of Firmicutes taxa involved in substrate hydrolysis, and in acetoclastic methanogenesis. These findings provide novel insights to elaborate AcoD processes.

A review on anaerobic digestion with focus on the role of biomass co-digestion, modelling and optimisation on biogas production and enhancement

The status, recent trends and future perspectives in modelling and optimisation of anaerobic co-digestion is investigated. Areas that can be focused on and those which need further research towards enhancing biogas production are pointed out. Co-digestion, modelling and optimisation of anaerobic digestion as well as techno-economic aspects are reviewed in this paper. It was noted that co-digestion requires more research into a variety of bio-resources and their specific blend proportions. Modelling and optimisation of co-digestion with substrate seasonal fluctuations has not been addressed in previous studies. Controlling key process factors including temperature, pH, and carbon to nitrogen ratio is critical in improving biogas yield. Biogas hybridisation is yet to be explored in depth. The majority of researches are focused on mono-digestion, feedstock co-digestion, modelling, and optimisation of anaerobic digestion needs significant further investigations. A multi-objective approach taking all technical and economic parameters in the modelling and optimization is essential.

Links between carbon/nitrogen ratio, synergy and microbial characteristics of long-term semi-continuous anaerobic co-digestion of food waste, cattle manure and corn straw

Links between carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, synergy and microbial characteristics of anaerobic co-digestion of food waste (FW), cattle manure (CS) and corn straw (CS) were investigated. Digesters with 100% CS, 25% FW + 75% CS, 25% CM + 75% CS suffered acid inhibition, in close association with unbalanced C/N and the resulting recessions of Syntrophomonadaceae and Methanosaeta. Co-digestion overcame C/N imbalance and achieved multiple synergies. Process performance had a positive correlation with Syntrophomonadaceae. Digester with 75% FW + 25% CS had most Syntrophomonadaceae (26.7%) and methane yield (467.3-507.6 mL/g VS) among co-digestion trials. Synergy was greater under higher load and exhibited a good correlation with C/N ratio. Co-digestion of FW, CM and CS (2:2:1) with suitable C/N ratio (20.79) obtained the greatest synergistic rate (14.6%). Unstable systems were improved by adjusting C/N ratio to 30 via urea, which stimulated Methanosarcina growth therefore enhanced methanogenic pathway diversity and ensured powerful methanogenic functions.

Biogas production from high solids digestion of Pennisetum purpureum x Pennisetum typhoideum: Suitable conditions and microbial communities

Effects of organic loading rates (OLRs), temperatures and effluent recirculation rates on biogas production from Giant Juncao Grass (GJG) using pilot-scale semi-continuously fed CSTRs were investigated. Thermophilic reactors could be stably operated at OLR up to 5.0 kg VS m^-3 d^-1, while damaged process stability was detected in mesophilic reactors at OLR of 4.0 kg VS m^-3 d^-1. Higher effluent recirculation rate (3:1) helped lessen negative effects of system being over-loaded, especially for mesophilic reactors. Microbial community analysis revealed that temperatures had the highest effect on bacterial community structure. Firmicutes were the dominant bacterial phyla found under high temperatures, while majority of archaea in all reactors belonged to the phylum Bathyarchaeota. Changes of microbial communities could partly explain system performance under different operating conditions. This study was the first to show GJG as a superior biogas feedstock to other energy crops thanks to its higher methane yields per planting area.

Biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate from food waste oil by Pseudomonas alcaligenes with simultaneous energy recovery from fermentation wastewater

Bioconversion of food waste oil (FWO) into biodegradable plastic is a promising method for converting waste into high-value products. In this study, a strain (Pseudomonas sp. H3) was isolated for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis from FWO. After 72 h of cultivation with 20 g/L of FWO, the high cell dry weight (CDW) of 3.6 g/L, PHA yield of 2.4 g/L, and PHA content of 65 wt% were obtained under the optimal temperature (25 °C) and inoculum amount (6% (v/v)). Fed-batch fermentation was conducted in a 5 L bioreactor with a maximum CDW of 16 g/L, PHA content of 54 wt%, and PHA productivity of 0.23 g/(L·h) after 36 h. The PHA had a molecular weight of 54 782 Da and a low polydispersity index of 1.41 with glass transition, melting, and degradation temperatures of -20 °C, 34 °C, and 210 °C, respectively. To further utilize the wastewater after PHA production, anaerobic digestion was employed for CH₄ production, and the CH₄ yield was 284 mL/g volatile solids. Microbial community analysis showed that the abundance of acetate-oxidizing bacteria and Methanobacterium significantly increased during anaerobic digestion. This study describes a new strain for the economical synthesis of biodegradable plastics and presents a novel framework for fully utilizing FWO with the production of PHA and CH₄.

A pig slurry feast/famine feeding regime strategy to improve mesophilic anaerobic digestion efficiency and digestate hygienisation

The increasing concentration of livestock farms results in large amounts of waste production and the need for their management. The study of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology, under mesophilic conditions, applied to pig slurry is of the upmost importance for biogas recovery and sanitised digestate, contributing to a circular economy. The assessment of the effects of a feast/famine regime on biogas and biomethane (bio-CH₄) yield with different feeding frequencies was performed. The evaluation was made in regards to three scenarios: the first is based on daily feeding (FR1); in the second, the feeding occurs once every two days (FR2); and in the third, the feeding happens once every three days (FR3). The results demonstrate that the biogas and methane yield increased by 34% and 37% between FR1 and FR3. The stability inside the reactor was maintained since specific loading energetic rate values did not exceed the recommended limit (0.4 d^-1). It was also possible to conclude that the AD technology was efficient to sanitise the pig slurry, with the count of Escherichia coli going from 1 × 10⁵ colony-forming units (CFU) g^-1 to less than 100 CFU g^-1, meeting the legal requirements for agricultural valorisation. The total anaerobic mesophile plate counts were significantly (p < 0.1) reduced from feeding to digestate, and the plate counts of Clostridia were significantly (p < 0.05) increased, reflecting the changes in the composition of the microbiota. The increasing yield in bio-CH₄ in accordance with Clostridium counts suggests this genus as a positive microbiological key indicator of the AD performance.

Anaerobic co-digestion: Current status and perspectives

Anaerobic digestion is a long-established technology for the valorization of diverse organic wastes with concomitant generation of valuable resources. However, mono-digestion (i.e., anaerobic digestion using one feedstock) suffers from challenges associated with feedstock characteristics. Co-digestion using multiple feedstocks provides the potential to overcome these limitations. Significant research and development efforts have highlighted several inherent merits of co-digestion, including enhanced digestibility due to synergistic effects of co-substrates, better process stability, and higher nutrient value of the produced co-digestate. However, studies focused on the underlying effects of diverse co-feedstocks on digester performance and stability have not been synthesized so far. This review fills this gap by highlighting the limitations of mono-digestion and critically examining the benefits of co-digestion. Furthermore, this review discusses synergistic effect of co-substrates, characterization of microbial communities, the prediction of biogas production via different kinetic models, and highlights future research directions for the development of a sustainable biorefinery.

Rapid detection of cellulose and hemicellulose contents of corn stover based on near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

The feasibility of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometrics for the rapid detection of the cellulose and hemicellulose contents in corn stover is discussed. Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and genetic simulated annealing algorithm (GSA) were combined (CARS-GSA) to select the characteristic wavelengths of cellulose and hemicellulose and to reduce the dimensionality and multicollinearity of the NIRS data. The whole spectra contained 1845 wavelength variables. After CARS-GSA optimization, the number of characteristic wavelengths of cellulose (hemicellulose) was reduced to 152 (260), accounting for 8.24% (14.09%) of all wavelengths. The coefficients of determination of the regression models for predicting the cellulose and hemicellulose contents were 0.968 and 0.996, the root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEPs) were 0.683 and 0.648, and the residual predictive deviations (RPDs) were 5.213 and 16.499, respectively. The RMSEP of the cellulose and hemicellulose regression models was 0.152 and 0.190 lower for CARS-GSA than for the full-spectrum, and the RPD was increased by 0.949 and 3.47, respectively. The results showed that the CARS-GSA model substantially reduced the number of characteristic wavelengths and significantly improved the predictive ability of the regression model.

Biogas production, waste stabilization efficiency, and hygienization potential of a mesophilic anaerobic plug flow reactor processing swine manure and corn stover

Swine manure and corn stover are abundant agricultural wastes which contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, nutrient runoff leading to eutrophication, and a biosafety risk with respect to improper swine manure handling. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of swine manure and corn stover can mitigate these negative impacts while producing biogas as a renewable energy source. Semi-continuous mesophilic plug flow reactor (PFR operation) was studied during a step-wise increase in organic loading rate (OLR) over the range of 0.25-4.7 kg volatile solids added (VS) m^-3 d^-1, which corresponded to total solids content (TS) of 1.5-9.0%. Process stability was observed at all OLR, with the highest total biogas yield and methane content of 0.674 ± 0.06 m^-3 kg^-1 and 62%, respectively, at 0.25 kg m^-3 d^-1. As OLR and TS increased, VS reduction decreased and volatile fatty acids (VFA) increased due to shorter hydraulic retention times (HRT). Hygienization potential was assayed using fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), with some groups being reduced (E. coli, fecal coliforms) and others not (Clostridia spp., fecal enterococci). Lignocellulolytic enzyme activity trended upward as OLR was increased, highlighting changes in microbial activity in response to feeding rate.

Biochemical methane potential prediction for mixed feedstocks of straw and manure in anaerobic co-digestion

To rapidly estimate the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of feedstocks, different multivariate regression models were established between BMP and the physicochemical indexes or near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Mixed fermentation feedstocks of corn stover and livestock manure were rapidly detected BMP in anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD). The results showed that the predicted accuracy of NIRS model based on characteristic wavelengths selected by multiple competitive adaptive reweighted sampling outperformed all regression models based on the physicochemical indexes. For the NIRS regression model, coefficient of determination, root mean squares error, relative root mean squares error, mean relative error and residual predictive deviation of the validation set were 0.982, 6.599, 2.713%, 2.333% and 7.605. The results reveal that the predicted accuracy of NIRS model is very high, and meet the requirements of rapid prediction of BMP for co-AD feedstocks in practical biogas engineering.

The transition temperature (42 °C) from mesophilic to thermophilic micro-organisms enhances biomethane potential of corn stover

Mesophilic and thermophilic digestion has long been considered as preferred temperature ranges for anaerobic digestion. However, in this study, the effects of temperatures (37, 42, 47, and 55 °C) on the biomethane potential of corn stover were conducted with batch experiments, and the highest biomethane potential was at 42 °C. It was inferred that the change of feed materials, e.g., pretreatment caused by acidification (pH 6.0) during the lag time (4 days), was the main driver for higher biomethane potential. The natural pretreatment stimulated by a slight digestive temperature increase to 42 °C can enhance the biomethane potential of corn stover without adding extra acid. Meanwhile, metabolic pathways of methanogens changed from acetoclastic to mixotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Based on these results, the transition temperature (42 °C) from mesophilic to thermophilic micro-organisms could be a promising option for corn stover anaerobic digestion.

The Effect of Antibiotics on Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion Process of Cattle Manure

This study explored the effect of eight antimicrobials on the efficiency of biogas production in the anaerobic digestion (AD) process of cattle manure. The microbiome involved in AD, presence and number of genes mcrA, MSC and MST specific for Archaea, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) concentration in digestate (D) were examined. Supplementation of antibiotics to substrate significantly lowered biogas production. Amoxicillin caused a 75% decrease in CH4 production in comparison with the control samples. Enrofloxacin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline reduced the amount of biogas produced by 36, 39, 45 and 53%, respectively. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA results revealed that bacteria dominated the Archaea microorganisms in all samples. Moreover, antibiotics led to a decrease in the abundance of the genes mcrA, MSC, MST, and induced an increase in the number of tetracyclines resistance genes. Antibiotics decreased the efficiency of the AD process and lowered the quantity of CH4 obtained, while stimulating an increase in the number of ARGs in D. This work reveals how antimicrobials affect the cattle manure AD process and changes in microbial biodiversity, number of functional genes and ARGs in the digestate due to drugs exposure. It also, provides useful, practical information about the AD process.

Rapid determination of lignocellulose in corn stover based on near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy and chemometrics methods

In this study, a rapid detection method based on near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy was proposed for measuring the contents of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in corn stover. In the basis of strategies of variable selection, feature extraction and nonlinear modeling, BiPLS-PCA-SVM was constructed using backward interval partial least squares combined with principal component analysis and support vector machine, which was used to improve the performance of spectral regression calibration model. For BiPLS-PCA-SVM model, the determination coefficients, root mean squared error and residual predictive deviation for the validation set were 0.906, 0.900% and 3.213 for cellulose; 0.987, 0.797% and 9.071 for hemicellulose; and 0.936, 0.264% and 4.024 for lignin, correspondingly. The results indicate that near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy combined with BiPLS-PCA-SVM can provide a reliable alternative strategy to detect contents of lignocellulosic components for pretreated corn stover in the anaerobic digestion process.

The effects of C/N (10-25) on the relationship of substrates, metabolites, and microorganisms in "inhibited steady-state" of anaerobic digestion

The carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) is a key parameter that affects the performance of anaerobic digestion (AD). Recent AD research has focused on optimizing the C/N of feedstock. The so-called "inhibited steady-state" refers to a special state of ammonia inhibition of AD that often occurs at low-C/N (below 25) when degradable nitrogen-rich substrates, such as livestock manure, are used as feedstock. However, the mechanism behind the "inhibited steady-state" is still unknown. In the current study, co-digestion and recirculation were used to create a C/N gradient in the influent to explore the relationship between substrates, metabolites, and microorganisms in the "inhibited steady-state." Data were collected at the macro, microbial, and genetic levels. Three CSTRs were successfully made run into the "inhibited steady-state" using influent C/Ns of 10-12. Digestion performance levels of R10-R12 were low and stable, transitioning from an aceticlastic methane-producing pathway to a hydrogenotrophic pathway as the C/N gradually decreased. As the abundance of the hydrogenophilic methanogens increased, the abundance of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria (SAOB) also increased. The succession between populations of Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina may be used as a microbiological indicator of ammonia inhibition. Under high-C/Ns, cooperation among bacteria was high, while under low-C/Ns, competition among bacteria was high. These results clarify the processes underlying the "inhibited steady-state," which is a condition often faced in actual large-scale biogas facilities that use degradable nitrogen-rich substrates. Moreover, practical guidelines for evaluating ammonia inhibition are provided, and strategies to alleviate ammonia suppression are developed.

Waste to Energy: A Focus on the Impact of Substrate Type in Biogas Production

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient technology for a sustainable conversion of various organic wastes such as animal manure, municipal solid waste, agricultural residues and industrial waste into biogas. This technology offers a unique set of benefits, some of which include a good waste management technique, enhancement in the ecology of rural areas, improvement in health through a decrease of pathogens and optimization of the energy consumption of communities. The biogas produced through anaerobic digestion varies in composition, but it consists mainly of carbon dioxide methane together with a low quantity of trace gases. The variation in biogas composition are dependent on some factors namely the substrate type being digested, pH, operating temperature, organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time and digester design. However, the type of substrate used is of greater interest due to the direct dependency of microorganism activities on the nutritional composition of the substrate. Therefore, the aim of this review study is to provide a detailed analysis of the various types of organic wastes that have been used as a substrate for the sustainable production of biogas. Biogas formation from various substrates reported in the literature were investigated, an analysis and characterization of these substrates provided the pro and cons associated with each substrate. The findings obtained showed that the methane yield for all animal manure varied from 157 to 500 mL/gVS with goat and pig manure superseding the other animal manure whereas lignocellulose biomass varied from 160 to 212 mL/gVS. In addition, organic municipal solid waste and industrial waste showed methane yield in the ranges of 143–516 mL/gVS and 25–429 mL/gVS respectively. These variations in methane yield are primarily attributed to the nutritional composition of the various substrates.

Enhancement of biogas production from rape straw using different co-pretreatment techniques and anaerobic co-digestion with cattle manure

The present study investigated the possibility of valorizing rape straw through anaerobic digestion and the possibility of improving biomethane yield by pretreatment with H₂SO₄, combined H₂SO₄ with steam explosion (SE) and SE combined with superfine grinding (SFG). To evaluate the pretreatment method efficiency, several analytical techniques were applied. Additionally, the performance of co-digesting of cattle manure (CM) with pretreated rape straw (PRS) at different ratios was evaluated. The results showed that combined pretreatment could dissolve the lignocellulosic fiber structure, which positively stimulated methane yield. The highest cumulative CH₄ yield (CMY) of 305.7 mLg^-1VS was achieved by combined SE at 180 °C for 5 min with SFG, which was 77.84% higher than the untreated. The CMY was further improved by 11.4-59% higher than the control (CM) using co-digestion. This study confirmed that, under optimal parameters of AD, pretreatment with SEG180 could significantly boost the CMY from co-digestion of CM and PRS.

Removal of pollutants from biogas slurry and CO2 capture in biogas by microalgae-based technology: a systematic review

Recent research interest has focused on microalgae cultivation for biogas slurry purification and biogas upgrading due to the requirement of high efficiency for nutrient uptake and CO₂ capture, with economic feasibility and environmental benefits. Numerous studies have suggested that biogas slurry purification and biogas upgrading can occur simultaneously via microalgae-based technology. However, there is no comprehensive review on this technology with respect to the nutrient removal from biogas slurry and biogas upgrading. This article summarizes microalgal cultivation with biogas slurry and biogas from anaerobic digestion. The parameters, techniques, and modes of microalgae cultivation have been discussed in detail to achieve high efficiency in biogas slurry purification and biogas upgrading. In addition, the evaluation of energy efficiency and safety has also been explored. Compared with mono-cultivation of microalgae and co-cultivation of microalgae and bacteria, microalgae-fungi symbiosis has demonstrated greater development prospect and higher energy efficiency and the energy consumption for pollutants and CO₂ removal were 14.2-39.0% · USD^-1 and 19.9-23.3% · USD^-1, respectively. Further, a sustainable recycling scheme is proposed for the purification of biogas slurry from anaerobic digestion process and biogas upgrading via microalgae-based technology.

Hygienization and microbial metabolic adaptation during anaerobic co-digestion of swine manure and corn stover

This study assessed the effect of different swine manure (SM)/corn stover (CS) mixtures based on total solids (TS) content with respect to hygienization, microbial community dynamics and methane yields on batch anaerobic co-digestion performance. Different ratios of SM and CS with TS content between 0.69 and 6% digested at 75 d revealed SM had the greatest methane yield at 403.9 mL g-1 volatile solids added (VS) and 86.31% VS reduction. BIOLOG AN microplates and lignocellulolytic enzyme assays proved to be rapid tools for characterizing microbial community metabolism as noted by the different carbon source utilization patterns between TS loadings. Hygienization of fecal indicator bacteria groups was achieved with some (E. coli) but not all groups (Clostridia spp.). The results showed that colorimetric biochemical assays and culture-based techniques can rapidly assess microbial community dynamics during co-digestion, and that TS- in the form of lignocellulosic biomass- influences microbial metabolic activities.

Interactions between substrate characteristics and microbial communities on biogas production yield and rate

In this study, leather fleshing waste (LFW) and a complementary substrate (food waste leachate; FWL) were co-digested. The main focus of research was to study effects on biogas production caused by interactions between co-substrates when combined in different mixing ratios and changes on microbial community structures. Due to a positive effect of co-digestion (i.e., establishing nutrient equilibrium), the adjusted substrates for optimum C/N ratio by blending LFW and FWL resulted in significantly higher biodegradability and biomethane production (375.5-520.8 mL CH₄ g^-1 VS) than the mono-digestion of each substrate. According to co-digestion of LFW and FWL, microbial communities became more diverse and the changes of microbial structure influenced the biomethane production performance. Among the co-digesting conditions, the biomethane production yield and rate of the samples were in reverse order and the results were firmly associated with the relative richness of lipids (yield-related) and proteins (rate-related) in the co-substrates.

Biomethanation at 45 °C offers high process efficiency and supports hygienisation

The aim of this work was to prove a process temperature of 45 °C as a practical alternative to commonly applied mesophilic (37 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) anaerobic digestion (AD). Regarding methane production, no differences were found between the three temperature regimes. However, the maximum possible loading rate at 45 °C exceeded that at 37 °C and 55 °C. Pathogen inactivation at 45 °C was higher than at 37 °C and similarly efficient as at 55 °C. At each process temperature, a unique microbial community established. In addition, the archaeome at 55 °C was dominated by hydrogenotrophs, while at 37 °C and 45 °C it was dominated by acetotrophs. For the investigated substrate mixture, liquid cattle manure with wheat straw as co-substrate, 45 °C turned out to be preferable for AD. For other substrates, these findings still need to be confirmed.

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.

Methane Yield Potential of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus (Greef et Deuter)) Established under Maize (Zea mays L.)

This study reports on the effects of two rhizome-based establishment procedures ‘miscanthus under maize’ (MUM) and ‘reference’ (REF) on the methane yield per hectare (MYH) of miscanthus in a field trial in southwest Germany. The dry matter yield (DMY) of aboveground biomass was determined each year in autumn over four years (2016–2019). A biogas batch experiment and a fiber analysis were conducted using plant samples from 2016–2018. Overall, MUM outperformed REF due to a high MYH of maize in 2016 (7211 m3N CH4 ha−1). The MYH of miscanthus in MUM was significantly lower compared to REF in 2016 and 2017 due to a lower DMY. Earlier maturation of miscanthus in MUM caused higher ash and lignin contents compared with REF. However, the mean substrate-specific methane yield of miscanthus was similar across the treatments (281.2 and 276.2 lN kg−1 volatile solid−1). Non-significant differences in MYH 2018 (1624 and 1957 m3N CH4 ha−1) and in DMY 2019 (15.6 and 21.7 Mg ha−1) between MUM and REF indicate, that MUM recovered from biotic and abiotic stress during 2016. Consequently, MUM could be a promising approach to close the methane yield gap of miscanthus cultivation in the first year of establishment.

Change to biogas production in solid-state anaerobic digestion using rice straw as substrates at different temperatures

This work investigated the effects of different temperatures on methane production, kinetics, and microbial communities during solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) using rice straw. The results indicated that thermophilic anaerobic digestion led to the faster methane production (13.74 L/kg) and a shorter biogas production cycle (34 days) than mesophilic anaerobic digestion (5.48 L/kg, 58 days). SS-AD under thermophilic conditions resulted in more intense lignocellulose degradation and better fitting results. The species of microorganisms did not differ when the temperature was altered; however, the abundances of various phyla, particularly Firmicutes, differed. Overall, the findings suggested that thermophilic SS-AD had higher methanogenic efficiency and dramatically altered the structure of the microbial community during solid-state anaerobic digestion. Moreover, a potential effective strategy for agricultural waste management by SS-AD was proposed.

Biomethane production through anaerobic co-digestion with Maize Cob Waste based on a biorefinery concept: A review

Maize Cob Waste (MCW) is available worldwide in high amounts, as maize is the most produced cereal in the world. MCW is generally left in the crop fields, but due to its low biodegradability it has a negligible impact in soil fertility. Moreover, MCW can be used as substrate to balance the C/N ratio during the Anaerobic co-Digestion (AcoD) with other biodegradable substrates, and is an excellent precursor for the production of Activated Carbons (ACs). In this context, a biorefinery is theoretically discussed in the present review, based on the idea that MCW, after proper pre-treatment is valorised as precursor of ACs and as co-substrate in AcoD for biomethane generation. This paper provides an overview on different scientific and technological aspects that can be involved in the development of the proposed biorefinery; the major topics considered in this work are the following ones: (i) the most suitable pre-treatments of MCW prior to AcoD; (ii) AcoD process with regard to the critical parameters resulting from MCW pre-treatments; (iii) production of ACs using MCW as precursor, with the aim to use these ACs in biogas conditioning (H₂S removal) and upgrading (biomethane production), and (iv) an overview on biogas upgrading technologies.