Performance of enhanced anaerobic digestion with different pyrolysis biochars and microbial communities. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shen, Ruixia; Jing, Yong; Feng, Jing; Luo, Juan; Yu, Jiadong; Zhao, Lixin
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 296(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion -- Agricultural wastes -- Biochar -- Microbial characteristics -- Enhancement; 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.2019.122354
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Typical biochars from agricultural waste pyrolysis were chosen to enhance anaerobic digestion. Suitable dosage was helpful for methane production, but excessive addition could inhibit it. Biochar enhancement was an integrated result, for a sole factor, it had no significant regularity. Biochar type and dose just affected the microbial distribution, rather than its dominance. Anaerobic digestion with biochars had a secondary methane peak, while control groups did not have. Abstract: Anaerobic digestion (AD) is commonly used to treat biowastes, however, there are challenges in AD such as low methane yield, intermediate inhibition, and system instability. In this study, the effects of typical biochars on methane yield and microbial variation for AD with straw and cow manure were explored. The results indicated that cumulative methane yield with coconut shell biochar was higher than that without a biochar (319.44 vs. 282.77 mL/g VS). Interestingly, AD with biochars had a secondary methane yield peak, whereas control groups did not show this phenomenon. A suitable dosage (e.g., straw biochar of 2%) improved cumulative methane yield, but excessive addition (4%) could inhibit AD. AD system with biochar was more helpful for the growth of acetoclastic methanogens rather than hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The study demonstrated biochar can indeed enhance AD performance, and microbial community analyses could supply valuable information to elucidate the mechanism of enhancement.