Sustainable additives for the regulation of NH3 concentration and emissions during the production of biomethane and biohydrogen: A review

Patrizio Tratzi; Doan Thanh Ta; Zhiping Zhang; Marco Torre; Francesca Battistelli; Eros Manzo; Valerio Paolini; Quanguo Zhang; Chenyeon Chu; Francesco Petracchini

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126596

Sustainable additives for the regulation of NH₃ concentration and emissions during the production of biomethane and biohydrogen: A review

Bioresour Technol. 2022 Feb:346:126596. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126596. Epub 2021 Dec 22.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy.
² Institute of Green Products, Feng Chia University, No. 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan.
³ Key Laboratory of New Materials and Facilities for Rural Renewable Energy (MOA of China), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
⁴ National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy. Electronic address: v.paolini@iia.cnr.it.
⁵ Key Laboratory of New Materials and Facilities for Rural Renewable Energy (MOA of China), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.

PMID: 34953990
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126596

Abstract

This study reviews the recent advances and innovations in the application of additives to improve biomethane and biohydrogen production. Biochar, nanostructured materials, novel biopolymers, zeolites, and clays are described in terms of chemical composition, properties and impact on anaerobic digestion, dark fermentation, and photofermentation. These additives can have both a simple physical effect of microbial adhesion and growth, and a more complex biochemical impact on the regulation of key parameters for CH₄ and H₂ production: in this study, these effects in different experimental conditions are reviewed and described. The considered parameters include pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), C:N ratio, and NH₃; additionally, the global impact on the total production yield of biogas and bioH₂ is reviewed. A special focus is given to NH₃, due to its strong inhibition effect towards methanogens, and its contribution to digestate quality, leaching, and emissions into the atmosphere.

Keywords: Biochar; Biohydrogen; Biomethane; NH(3); Zeolites.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biofuels*
Fatty Acids, Volatile*
Fermentation
Hydrogen / analysis
Methane

Substances

Biofuels
Fatty Acids, Volatile
Hydrogen
Methane