Improving anaerobic digestion of a cellulosic waste via routine bioaugmentation with cellulolytic microorganisms. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martin-Ryals, Ana; Schideman, Lance; Li, Peng; Wilkinson, Henry; Wagner, Richard
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 189(2015)
• Page Start: 62
• Page End: 70
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion -- Bioaugmentation -- Two-phase -- Hydrolysis -- Cellulosic; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.03.069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Anaerobic digestion of a cellulosic waste with routine bioaugmentation was studied. A cellulolytic bioculture mix was used to target and sustain improved hydrolysis. Routine bioaugmentation out performed typical one-time bioaugmentation. Routine bioaugmentation increased hydrolysis, acetic acid levels, and methane yield. Long-term lab-scale operation showed sustained benefits with routine bioaugmentation. Abstract: This study investigated routine bioaugmentation in the acid-phase of a two-phase anaerobic digestion (AD) process treating a largely cellulosic waste material generated from sweet corn processing. A proprietary cellulolytic bioculture was used for bioaugmentation with the aim of increasing substrate hydrolysis to improve overall methanogenic efficiency. In a sequencing batch experiment routine bioaugmentation achieved significantly greater soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) generation (+25%) and methane production (+15%) compared to one-time bioaugmentation. In a continuous bench-scale system, routine bioaugmentation increased acid-phase sCOD by 29–68% and acetic acid concentrations by 31–34%. This benefit to hydrolysis and acetogenesis subsequently led to sustained increase in methane production (+56%) compared to non-bioaugmentation. A cursory economic analysis indicated that routine bioaugmentation could improve the economics of corn waste AD by $27–$34/dry tonne of waste. Overall, routine bioaugmentation showed significant promise for improving AD of corn waste by achieving sustained increases in substrate hydrolysis and methane production.