This study presented mechanistic insights into the long-term effects of stepwise-increasing organic loading rates (OLRs) on anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of sewage sludge and food waste. The maximum methane (CH4) yield of 500.0 ± 10.5 mL CH4/g VSfed was achieved at medium OLR of 3.5 g VS/L/d. This excellent performance was associated with the high hydrolysis efficiency (78.4%), three-fold enhancement in the acidogenesis enzyme activity, and 87.0% enhanced methanogen activity. Soluble intermediates (carbohydrates and proteins) were largely degraded (>98.5%), especially tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like aromatic proteins. The particulates were effectively decomposed from macromolecules to micromolecules, and the crystallinity of cellulosic substances decreased by 24.5%. The newly-shaped combined syntrophic acetate oxidation-hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway dominated enhanced CH4 production. Energy balance analysis based on medium OLR demonstrated the high energy recovery potential in full-scale AcoD. These findings suggest the optimal medium OLR can facilitate the bioconversion of organics to CH4 through a new metabolic pathway.
Keywords: Anaerobic co-digestion; Enhanced methane production; Microbial community dynamics; Organic loading rate; Organics degradation.
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