Comparing VFA Composition, Biomethane Potential, and Methane Production Kinetics of Different Substrates for Anaerobic Fermentation and Digestion

Solid waste is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) today. The carbon footprint of landfills also has a large impact on global warming. Therefore, it is becoming more urgent to study the possibility of better environmentally friendly approaches for solid waste management and its safe disposal. The digestion of solid waste is a biological process that breaks down the organic content of the solid waste and thus stabilizes it. It also allows the recovery of valuable resources (such as biogas) and the utilization of stabilized waste in various industries. In this study, six substrates were studied to determine their biomethane potential (BMP) in anaerobic digestion. The substrates were fermented and digested anaerobically, and the biogas production was measured. The methane yield of food waste substrates had a higher methane yield between 354 and 347 mL/g-TCOD, and a biodegradability of 89-87%. Wastewater sludge substrates yielded between 324 and 288 mL/g-TCOD with a biodegradability of 81-73%. A kinetics analysis using first-order and Gompertz models was performed for biodegradation and methane production.

Automated summary

Solid waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, and the carbon footprint of landfills significantly contributes to global warming. Therefore, it is crucial to explore more environmentally friendly approaches for solid waste management and safe disposal. The digestion of solid waste is a biological process that breaks down organic content, stabilizes waste, and allows the recovery of valuable resources.