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Wet Anaerobic Codigestion of Sewage Sludge and OFMSW in Pilot-Scale Continuously Stirred Tank Reactors: Focus on the Reactor Microbial Communities

Author

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  • Isabella Pecorini

    (DESTEC—Department of Energy, Systems Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa, Via C.F. Gabba 22, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Elena Rossi

    (DESTEC—Department of Energy, Systems Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa, Via C.F. Gabba 22, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Simone Becarelli

    (Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini 13, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Francesco Baldi

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Via di Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy)

  • Simona Di Gregorio

    (Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini 13, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Renato Iannelli

    (DESTEC—Department of Energy, Systems Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa, Via C.F. Gabba 22, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

Dark fermentation (DF) is a simple method for hydrogen (H 2 ) production through the valorization of various organic wastes that can be used as feedstock. In particular, an organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a fermentation substrate that can easily be gathered and provides high yields in biogas and value-added organic compounds such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). DF is coupled with a methanogenic reactor to enhance biogas production from the OFMSW. In this study, a two-stage reactor was conducted and monitored to optimize the methane yield by reducing the HRT at the DF reactor. A focus of the functional inference based on a next-generation sequence (NGS) metabarcoding analysis and comparison of microbial communities that populate each reactor stage was performed. Concerning gas quality, the two-stage system observed a hydrogen-rich biogas in the first fermentative reactor (on average 20.2%) and an improvement in the methane content in the second methanogenic digester, which shifted from 61.2% obtained for the one-stage experiment to 73.5%. Such increases were due to the improvement in substrate hydrolysis. As for the specific biogas production, the results showed an overall increase of 50%.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabella Pecorini & Elena Rossi & Simone Becarelli & Francesco Baldi & Simona Di Gregorio & Renato Iannelli, 2023. "Wet Anaerobic Codigestion of Sewage Sludge and OFMSW in Pilot-Scale Continuously Stirred Tank Reactors: Focus on the Reactor Microbial Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3168-:d:1063109
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ariunbaatar, Javkhlan & Panico, Antonio & Esposito, Giovanni & Pirozzi, Francesco & Lens, Piet N.L., 2014. "Pretreatment methods to enhance anaerobic digestion of organic solid waste," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 143-156.
    2. Umberto Di Matteo & Benedetto Nastasi & Angelo Albo & Davide Astiaso Garcia, 2017. "Energy Contribution of OFMSW (Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste) to Energy-Environmental Sustainability in Urban Areas at Small Scale," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
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