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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
Published on: June 15, 2014
Biochar triggering multipath methanogenesis and subdued propionic acid accumulation during semi-continuous anaerobic
Junyi Ma1, Junting Pan2, Ling Qiu1
1College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Western Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Development and Utilization of Rural Renewable Energy of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Abstract:
The semi-continuous anaerobic digestion (AD) performances of dry chicken manure (DCM) were investigated at the temperature of 35 ± 1 °C with and without biochar. The average specific methane productions of 0.18 L/g VSadded and 0.17 L/g VSadded were achieved without biochar at the organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.125 and 6.25 g VS/L/d, respectively. An increase of 12% in methane production was obtained in the presence of biochar at the two operational OLRs. Accumulation of propionic acid was observed associating with AD of DCM, which was substantially alleviated by biochar supplement. The buffer capacity of biochar was supposed to develop through strengthening the buffer system established by NH4+ and volatile fatty acids. Methanosarcina that can utilize multiple nutrients for methanogenesis was the dominant archaea in the presence of biochar, while the strictly aceticlastic Methanosaeta was dominant in control digester. These results suggest that biochar enhanced methanogenesis through intensifying its available pathway.
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