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Measuring Biomethane Potential of Food Scrap Waste Anaerobically Co-Digested with Waste-Activated Sludge Using Respirometry

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Some methods for human liquid and solid waste utilization in bioregenerative life-support systems.

S A Ushakova¹, I G Zolotukhin, A A Tikhomirov

¹Institute of Biophysics, Russian Academy of Science, Siberian Branch, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology

|June 27, 2008

Summary

Bioregenerative life-support systems (BLSS) utilize human waste for crop nutrition, reducing waste and increasing system closure. A novel method using saltwort (Salicornia europaea L.) cultivation effectively decreased soil salinization.

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Area of Science:

Space exploration technology
Environmental science
Agricultural science

Background:

Bioregenerative life-support systems (BLSS) are crucial for long-term space missions.
Utilizing human waste is key to increasing the closure degree of BLSS.
Previous methods for waste processing and nutrient recycling have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate methods for utilizing human liquid and solid wastes to enhance BLSS closure.
To evaluate two distinct methods for mitigating sodium chloride accumulation in the irrigation solution.
To assess the feasibility of integrating salt-tolerant plants for waste stream management.

Main Methods:

Human urine and feces were oxidized using Kudenko's physicochemical method.
Wheat was cultivated using the oxidized waste products in a soil-like substrate.
Two salt removal techniques were compared: electrodialysis and cultivation of Salicornia europaea L. (saltwort).

Main Results:

Electrodialysis removed approximately 50% of sodium from the irrigation solution over nine wheat vegetation cycles.
Integrating Salicornia europaea L. cultivation with wheat significantly reduced soil-like substrate salinization by NaCl.
The above-ground biomass of Salicornia europaea L. is a potential food source, and its roots can be recycled.

Conclusions:

The integration of wheat and Salicornia europaea L. cultivation offers a promising approach to managing waste and reducing salinization in BLSS.
This dual-crop system enhances the sustainability and closure of bioregenerative life-support systems.
Further research into optimizing this integrated cultivation system is warranted for future space missions.