Microbial response behavior to powdered activated carbon in high-solids anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste: Metabolism and functional prediction analysis

Yuying Hu; Xiaofan Wang; Shihao Zhang; Susu Liu; Tengfang Hu; Xin Wang; Chuqiao Wang; Jing Wu; Li Xu; Gaoping Xu; Fengping Hu

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117756

Microbial response behavior to powdered activated carbon in high-solids anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste: Metabolism and functional prediction analysis

J Environ Manage. 2023 Jul 1:337:117756. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117756. Epub 2023 Mar 17.

Authors

Yuying Hu¹, Xiaofan Wang², Shihao Zhang², Susu Liu², Tengfang Hu², Xin Wang², Chuqiao Wang², Jing Wu³, Li Xu⁴, Gaoping Xu⁴, Fengping Hu⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiao Tong University, Nanchang, 330013, China. Electronic address: hu_yuying@foxmail.com.
² School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiao Tong University, Nanchang, 330013, China.
³ State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
⁴ JiangXi Water Science Detecting and Researching Co., Ltd., Jingdezhen, 333000, China.
⁵ School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiao Tong University, Nanchang, 330013, China; State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.

PMID: 36934497
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117756

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) can not only treat organic waste, but also recycle energy. However, high-solids AD of kitchen waste usually failed due to excessive acidification. In this study, the effect of activated carbon (AC) on kitchen waste AD performance was investigated under high-solids conditions (total solids contents = 15%). The results showed that efficiencies of acidogenesis and methanogenesis were promoted in presence of moderate concentration (50 g/L > AC >5 g/L), but high concentration (AC >70 g/L) weakened AD performance. Moreover, AC addition enhanced the methane production rate from 66.0 mL/g VS to 231.50 mL/g VS, i.e., up to 250.7%. High-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that the abundance of electroactive DMER64 increased from less than 1%-29.7% (20 g/L AC). As AC gradually increased，aceticlastic methanogenesis changed to hydrogenotrophic pathway. Predicted functional analysis indicated that AC can enhance abundances of energy and inorganic ion metabolism, resulting in high methane production.

Keywords: Active carbon; Anaerobic digestion; Functional genes; Kitchen waste; Microbial response.

MeSH terms

Anaerobiosis
Bioreactors*
Charcoal*
Methane
Powders
Sewage

Substances

Charcoal
Powders
Methane
Sewage