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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Measuring Biomethane Potential of Food Scrap Waste Anaerobically Co-Digested with Waste-Activated Sludge Using Respirometry
Published on: April 26, 2024
Methane recovery from the anaerobic codigestion of municipal sludge and FOG
John C Kabouris1, Ulas Tezel, Spyros G Pavlostathis
1Carollo Engineers, 401 North Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, FL 34232, USA. jkabouris@carollo.com
Abstract:
The anaerobic biodegradability of a mix of municipal primary sludge (PS), thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS) and fat, oil, and grease (FOG) was assessed using semi-continuous feed, laboratory-scale anaerobic digesters operated at mesophilic (35 degrees C) and thermophilic (52 degrees C) temperature. Addition of a large FOG fraction (48% of the total VS load) to a PS+TWAS mix, resulted in 2.95 times larger methane yield, 152 vs. 449 mL methane @ STP/g VS added at 35 degrees C and 2.6 times larger methane yield, 197 vs. 512 mL methane @ STP/g VS added at 52 degrees C. The high FOG organic load fraction was not inhibitory to the process. The results of this study demonstrate the benefit of sludge and FOG codigestion.
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