Prediction of bio-methane potential and two-stage anaerobic digestion of starfish

The present work reports the first ever evaluation of the biological CH₄ potential (BMP) of starfish, classified as invasive species. Since starfish contain a large amount of inorganic matter, only the supernatant obtained through grinding and centrifugation was used for BMP test. By applying response surface methodology, the individual and interactive effects of three parameters, inoculum/substrate ratios, substrate concentrations, and buffer capacities on CH₄ production were investigated, and the maximum CH₄ yield of 334 mL CH₄/g COD was estimated. In addition, continuous CH₄ production was attempted using a two-stage (acidogenic sequencing batch reactor+methanogenic up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBr)) fermentation process. Acidification efficiency was maximized at 2 days of hydraulic retention time with valerate, butyrate, and acetate as main acids, and these were converted to CH₄ with showing 296 mL CH₄/g COD added. Overall, the two-stage fermentation process could convert 44% of organic content in whole starfish to CH₄.