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Effects of upward flow rate and modified biochar location on the performance and microecology of an anaerobic reactor treating kitchen waste

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Abstract

Increasing the value of food waste through anaerobic digestion is an attractive strategy. Meanwhile, the anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste also faces some technical challenges. In this study, four EGSB reactors were equipped with Fe–Mg-chitosan bagasse biochar at different locations, and the reflux pump flow rate was increased to change the upward flow rate of the reactor. The effects of adding modified biochar at different locations under different upward flow rate on the efficacy and microecology of anaerobic reactors treating kitchen waste were investigated. Results showed that Chloroflexi was the dominant microorganism when the modified biochar was added to the lower, middle, and upper parts of the reactor and mixed in the reactor, accounting for 54%, 56%, 58%, and 47%, respectively, on day 45. With the increased upward flow rate, the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi increased, while Proteobacteria and Firmicutes decreased. It was worth noting that the best COD removal effect was achieved when the anaerobic reactor upward flow rate was v2 = 0.6 m/h and the modified biochar was added in the upper part of the reactor, during which the average COD removal rate reached 96%. In addition, mixing modified biochar throughout the reactor while increasing the upward flow rate provided the greatest stimulus for the secretion of tryptophan and aromatic proteins in the sludge extracellular polymeric substances. The results provided a certain technical reference for improving the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste and scientific support for the application of modified biochar to the anaerobic digestion process.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article [and its supplementary information files].

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Funding

The authors would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51768009), the Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education (ERESEP2022Z13), and the College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (202210602007) for providing financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin, 541004, People’s Republic of China

    Yuchen Wang, Ruting Li, Chengyuan Su, **aoyue Liu, Meixiu Lu, Shengtao Liu, Bocai Liang & Zi Wang

  2. College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 15 Yucai Road, Guilin, 541004, People’s Republic of China

    Chengyuan Su

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  1. Yuchen Wang
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Contributions

Yuchen Wang, Ruting Li, Chengyuan Su, and Shengtao Liu: writing—original draft preparation; writing—reviewing and editing. Ruting Li, **aoyue Liu, Meixiu Lu, Bocai Liang, and Zi Wang: data curation. Chengyuan Su: methodology.

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Correspondence to Chengyuan Su.

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Wang, Y., Li, R., Su, C. et al. Effects of upward flow rate and modified biochar location on the performance and microecology of an anaerobic reactor treating kitchen waste. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 80530–80544 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28090-y

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