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Enhancing anaerobic digestion of food waste with chemically vapor-deposited biochar: Effective enrichment of Methanosarcina and hydrogenotrophic methanogens

Abstract:

The effects and mechanisms of chemically vapor-deposited (CVD) biochar on anaerobic digestion (AD) remain unexplored. This study proposes a novel approach to simultaneously address plastic waste management and bioenergy production by applying CVD biochar in the anaerobic digestion of food waste. Results indicate that CVD biochar, particularly PE900, significantly reduces the lag phase (from 15 to 9 days) and increases methane yield by 46 % compared to the control. The effectiveness of polyethylene-derived biochar is further confirmed through three consecutive fermentation batches, where it consistently improves methane production. CVD biochar also alters extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) composition and enriches key microbial communities, including hydrogenotrophic methanogens and Methanosarcina. The nanofiber structure and higher sp<sup>2</sup>-hybridized carbon content of PE900 biochar are likely the main factors influencing EPS, microbial composition, and methane production performance. This study demonstrates the potential of CVD biochar for enhancing anaerobic digestion and valorizing plastic waste in waste-to-energy conversion.