Stimulation of the anaerobic digestion of the dry organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with carbon-based conductive materials

Yan Dang; Dezhi Sun; Trevor L Woodard; Li-Ying Wang; Kelly P Nevin; Dawn E Holmes

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.04.021

Stimulation of the anaerobic digestion of the dry organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with carbon-based conductive materials

Bioresour Technol. 2017 Aug:238:30-38. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.04.021. Epub 2017 Apr 9.

Authors

Yan Dang¹, Dezhi Sun², Trevor L Woodard³, Li-Ying Wang³, Kelly P Nevin³, Dawn E Holmes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Morril IV N Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control and Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: dangyan.p@gmail.com.
² Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control and Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
³ Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Morril IV N Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Morril IV N Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Physical and Biological Sciences, Western New England University, 1215 Wilbraham Rd, Springfield, MA 01119, USA.

PMID: 28433915
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.04.021

Abstract

Growth of bacterial and archaeal species capable of interspecies electron exchange was stimulated by addition of conductive materials (carbon cloth or granular activated carbon (GAC)) to anaerobic digesters treating dog food (a substitute for the dry-organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW)). Methane production (772-1428mmol vs <80mmol), volatile solids removal (78%-81% vs 54%-64%) and COD removal efficiencies (∼80% vs 20%-30%) were all significantly higher in reactors amended with GAC or carbon cloth than controls. OFMSW degradation was also significantly accelerated and VFA concentrations were substantially lower in reactors amended with conductive materials. These results suggest that both conductive materials (carbon cloth and GAC) can promote conversion of OFMSW to methane even in the presence of extremely high VFA concentrations (∼500mM).

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Carbon-based conductive materials; Methanogenesis; Organic fraction of municipal solid waste; Syntrophic partners.

MeSH terms

Anaerobiosis
Animal Feed
Animals
Bioreactors*
Carbon
Dogs
Methane
Refuse Disposal*
Solid Waste*

Substances

Solid Waste
Carbon
Methane