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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
Published on: June 15, 2014
Enhancing the anaerobic digestion process through carbon dioxide enrichment: initial insights into mechanisms of
Yadira Bajón Fernández1, Ana Soares1, Peter Vale2
1a Cranfield Water Science Institute, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University , Cranfield , UK.
Abstract:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment of anaerobic digesters (ADs) without hydrogen addition has been demonstrated to provide a potential solution to manage CO2 streams generated in the water and organic waste sectors, with concomitant increases in methane (CH4) production. This study investigates the CO2 utilization mechanisms, by considering chemical and biological pathways in food waste and sewage sludge ADs. Methanosaetaceae was observed to be the dominant methanogen in sewage sludge ADs (Abundance of 83.8-98.8%) but scarce in food waste units (3.5-5.8%). Methanosarcinaceae was dominant in food waste (14.3-32.4%), likely due to a higher tolerance to the free ammonia nitrogen concentration recorded (885 mg L-1). RMethanosaetaceae (ratio of Methanosaetaceae fluorescence signal between test and control) of 1.45 and 1.79 were observed for sludge ADs enriched once and periodically with CO2, respectively (p-value < .05), suggesting a higher Methanosaetaceae activity associated with CO2 enrichment. Reduction of CO2 by homoacetogenesis followed by acetoclastic methanogenesis was proposed as a CO2 utilization mechanism, which requires validation by radiolabelling or carbon isotope analysis.
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