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Updated: May 7, 2026
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Measuring Biomethane Potential of Food Scrap Waste Anaerobically Co-Digested with Waste-Activated Sludge Using Respirometry
Published on: April 26, 2024
Characterizing food waste substrates for co-digestion through biochemical methane potential (BMP) experiments
Maria Sol Lisboa1, Stephanie Lansing
1University of Maryland, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland Energy Research Center, 1445 Animal Science/Ag Engineering Blgd., College Park, MD 20742, USA; Maimonides University, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Hidalgo 775, C1405BCK CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|October 3, 2013
Summary
Co-digesting food waste with dairy manure significantly boosts methane production. Chicken processing waste showed the highest increase, demonstrating food waste
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biotechnology
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Co-digestion of food waste and dairy manure is key for enhancing energy production and economic viability of anaerobic digestion.
- Limited data exists on suitable co-digestion substrates for dairy manure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of four distinct food waste substrates for co-digestion with dairy manure.
- To quantify the impact of food waste addition on methane production through biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were performed.
- Four food waste substrates (meatball, chicken, cranberry, ice cream processing wastes) were co-digested with flushed dairy manure.
- The ratio was 3.2% food waste to 96.8% manure by volume.
Main Results:
- All tested food waste co-digestion treatments resulted in increased methane production compared to digesting manure alone.
- Methane production increases ranged from 67.0% (ice cream waste) to 2940% (chicken processing waste).
- Food waste addition significantly enhanced methane yield, even at low volumes, due to its high volatile solids (VS) contribution.
Conclusions:
- Food waste, particularly chicken processing waste, holds substantial potential for increasing methane yield in co-digestion with dairy manure.
- Co-digestion is a viable strategy to improve the efficiency and economic feasibility of anaerobic digestion processes.
- Further research into specific food waste characteristics can optimize anaerobic digestion performance.
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