Anaerobic co-digestion of kitchen waste with hyperthermophilically pretreated grass for biohydrogen and biomethane production

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste with grass after hyperthermophilic pretreatment was performed in semi-continuously operated reactors. The greatest methane yield of 293 NmlCH₄/gVS (volatile solids) was reported for the mixture of both substrates at 55 °C with a solids retention time of 30 d and the corresponding organic lading rate of 1.72 kgVS/m³/d. In contrast, pretreated grass subjected to thermophilic digestion produced only 131 NmlCH₄/gVS. However, when mesophilic conditions were applied, the digestion process turned into dark fermentation, especially visible for the mixture. Metagenomic analysis revealed the dominance Ruminococcaceae, Atopobiaceae and Lactobacillaceae at a family level in mesophilic processes, whereas Petrotogaceae, Synergistaceae, Hungateiclostridiaceae, Planococcaceae and two methanogens Methanosarcinaceae and Methanothermobacteriaceae were the most frequent microbes of thermophilic digestion. Kitchen waste can successfully be co-digested with hyperthermophilically pretreated grass at high loading rates, however the digesters must be operated at thermophilic temperatures.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Garden waste; Hydrogen; Hyperthermophilic; Kitchen waste; Methane.