Co-enhancing effects of zero valent iron and magnetite on anaerobic methanogenesis of food waste at transition temperature (45 °C) and various organic loading rates

Deoiling of food waste (FW) after hydrothermal pretreatment occurs at high temperatures, and more energy is required for substrate cooling before the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. AD at the transition temperature (for example 45 degrees C) is good for energy saving and carbon emission reducing when treating deoiling FW. However, the metabolic activity of methanogens must increase at the transition temperatures. This study proposes the use of zero-valent iron (Fe0) and magnetite (Fe3O4) to boost CH4 yield from deoiling FW. The results showed a coenhancing effect on CH4 yield upgradation when using Fe0 and Fe3O4 simultaneously, and the highest CH4 yield reached 536.23 mLCH4/gVS, which was 67.5 % higher than that of Fe0 alone (320.14 mLCH4/gVS). In addition, a high organic loading was favorable for increasing the CH4 yield from deoiling FW. Microbial diversity analysis suggested that the dominant methanogenic pathway at 45 degrees C was hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Herein, a potential metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the co-enhancing effects of Fe0 and Fe3O4 enhanced syntrophic methanogenesis and possibly boosted electron transfer efficiency.

Automated summary

This study investigates how to enhance methane production from food waste after hydrothermal pretreatment. The results demonstrate a significant increase in methane yield when zero-valent iron and magnetite are used together, and high organic loading is favorable for methane production. Microbial diversity analysis further reveals the dominant pathways and metabolic processes involved in methane generation.