Psychrophilic anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass: A characterization study

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 142; pp. 663 - 671
• Main Authors: Saady, Noori M. Cata, Massé, Daniel I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Anaerobiosis; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biomass; Biotechnology; Cellulose; Constraining; Cow manure; Culture; Environment and pollution; Fatty Acids - biosynthesis; Feces; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Lignin - metabolism; Lignocellulose; Methane; Methane - metabolism; Psychrophilic anaerobic digestion; Straw; Triticum aestivum; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Use of agricultural and forest wastes. Biomass use, bioconversion; Wheat; Wheat straw; Xylan; Xylan; Cow manure; Psychrophilic anaerobic digestion; Wheat straw; Cellulose; Farming animal; Bovine; Cereal by product; Ox; Lignocellulosics; Cow; Biomass; Excreta; Anaerobic digestion; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Psychrophily; Artiodactyla; Cattle manure; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.05.089

•Cow feces and wheat straw psychrophilic anaerobic digestion is feasible at <32 days.•Cow feces and wheat straw yielded around 235 Nl CH4kg−1VS fed.•Cellulose, xylan, and their mixture achieved 95% conversion into CH4 in 35 days.•Less than 20 days are required to achieve a conversion of 80%.•Methane yield (Nl CH4kg−1VS) was 338 (cellulose), 310 (xylan), and 305 (mixture). Psychrophilic (20°C) specific methane (CH4) yield from cellulose (C), xylan (X), cellulose/xylan mixture (CX), cow feces (CF), and wheat straw (WS) achieved (Nl CH4kg−1VS) of 338.5±14.3 (C), 310.5±3.4 (X), 305.5±29.6 (CX mixture), and 235.3±22.7 (WS) during 56days, and 237.6±17.7 (CF) during 70days. These yields corresponded to COD recovery of 73.3±3.1% (C)=69.1±0.76% (X)=67.3±5.8% (CX mixture)>52.9±2.6% (CF)>46.5±2.7% (WS). Cellulose-fed culture had a lower and statistically different initial CH4 production rate from those calculated for cultures fed X, CX mixture, CF and WS. It seemed that the presence of hemicellulose in complex substrate such as wheat straw and cow feces supported the higher initial CH4 rate compared to cellulose. Biomethanation of the pure and complex lignocellulosic substrates tested is feasible at psychrophilic conditions given that a well-adapted inoculum is used; however, hydrolysis was the rate limiting step.