Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment

Jonathan T.E. Lee; Yong Sik Ok; Shuang Song; Pavani Dulanja Dissanayake; Hailin Tian; Zhi Kai Tio; Ruofan Cui; Ee Yang Lim; Mui Choo Jong; Sherilyn H. Hoy; Tiffany Q.H. Lum; To Hung Tsui; Chui San Yoon; Yanjun Dai; Chi Hwa Wang; Hugh T.W. Tan; Yen Wah Tong

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125190

Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment

Jonathan T.E. Lee, Yong Sik Ok, Shuang Song, Pavani Dulanja Dissanayake, Hailin Tian, Zhi Kai Tio, Ruofan Cui, Ee Yang Lim, Mui Choo Jong, Sherilyn H. Hoy, Tiffany Q.H. Lum, To Hung Tsui, Chui San Yoon, Yanjun Dai, Chi Hwa Wang, Hugh T.W. Tan, Yen Wah Tong

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

55 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A wood waste-derived biochar was applied to food-waste anaerobic digestion to evaluate the feasibility of its utilisation to create a circular economy. This biochar was first purposed for the upgrading of the biogas from the said anaerobic digestion, before treating and recovering the nutrients in the solid fraction of the digestate, which was finally employed as a biofertilizer for the organic cultivation of three green leafy vegetables: kale, lettuce and rocket salad. Whilst the amount of CO₂ the biochar could absorb from the biogas was low (11.17 mg g⁻¹), it could potentially be increased by modifying through physical and chemical methods. Virgin as well as CO₂-laden biochar were able to remove around 31% of chemical oxygen demand, 8% of the ammonia and almost 90% of the total suspended solids from the digestate wastewater, which was better than a dewatering process via centrifugation but worse than the industry standard of a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane bioreactor. Nutrients were recovered in the solid fraction of the digestate residue filtered by the biochar, and utilised as a biofertilizer that performed similarly to a commercial complete fertilizer in terms of aerial fresh weight growth for all three vegetables cultivated. Contingent on the optimal upgrading of biogas, the concept of a circular economy based on biochar and anaerobic digestion appears to be feasible.

Original language	English
Article number	125190
Journal	Bioresource technology
Volume	333
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125190
Publication status	Published - 2021 Aug

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme. This study was also funded by the National University of Singapore (NUS) grant, From Food Waste to Sustainable Food Production: NUS As Test Bed For The Nation with the grant number R-154-000-A97-133. The work of Shuang Song was supported by a Research Scholarship of the National University of Singapore. The work of Yong Sik Ok was carried out with the support of “ Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ01475801 ),” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Anaerobic digestate utilisation
Biochar
Biogas upgrading
Circular economy
Resource recovery

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Environmental Engineering
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Waste Management and Disposal

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125190

Cite this

Lee, J. T. E., Ok, Y. S., Song, S., Dissanayake, P. D., Tian, H., Tio, Z. K., Cui, R., Lim, E. Y., Jong, M. C., Hoy, S. H., Lum, T. Q. H., Tsui, T. H., Yoon, C. S., Dai, Y., Wang, C. H., Tan, H. T. W., & Tong, Y. W. (2021). Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment. Bioresource technology, 333, Article 125190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125190

Lee, JTE, Ok, YS, Song, S, Dissanayake, PD, Tian, H, Tio, ZK, Cui, R, Lim, EY, Jong, MC, Hoy, SH, Lum, TQH, Tsui, TH, Yoon, CS, Dai, Y, Wang, CH, Tan, HTW & Tong, YW 2021, 'Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment', Bioresource technology, vol. 333, 125190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125190

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title = "Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment",

abstract = "A wood waste-derived biochar was applied to food-waste anaerobic digestion to evaluate the feasibility of its utilisation to create a circular economy. This biochar was first purposed for the upgrading of the biogas from the said anaerobic digestion, before treating and recovering the nutrients in the solid fraction of the digestate, which was finally employed as a biofertilizer for the organic cultivation of three green leafy vegetables: kale, lettuce and rocket salad. Whilst the amount of CO2 the biochar could absorb from the biogas was low (11.17 mg g−1), it could potentially be increased by modifying through physical and chemical methods. Virgin as well as CO2-laden biochar were able to remove around 31% of chemical oxygen demand, 8% of the ammonia and almost 90% of the total suspended solids from the digestate wastewater, which was better than a dewatering process via centrifugation but worse than the industry standard of a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane bioreactor. Nutrients were recovered in the solid fraction of the digestate residue filtered by the biochar, and utilised as a biofertilizer that performed similarly to a commercial complete fertilizer in terms of aerial fresh weight growth for all three vegetables cultivated. Contingent on the optimal upgrading of biogas, the concept of a circular economy based on biochar and anaerobic digestion appears to be feasible.",

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author = "Lee, {Jonathan T.E.} and Ok, {Yong Sik} and Shuang Song and Dissanayake, {Pavani Dulanja} and Hailin Tian and Tio, {Zhi Kai} and Ruofan Cui and Lim, {Ee Yang} and Jong, {Mui Choo} and Hoy, {Sherilyn H.} and Lum, {Tiffany Q.H.} and Tsui, {To Hung} and Yoon, {Chui San} and Yanjun Dai and Wang, {Chi Hwa} and Tan, {Hugh T.W.} and Tong, {Yen Wah}",

note = "Funding Information: This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister{\textquoteright}s Office, Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme. This study was also funded by the National University of Singapore (NUS) grant, From Food Waste to Sustainable Food Production: NUS As Test Bed For The Nation with the grant number R-154-000-A97-133. The work of Shuang Song was supported by a Research Scholarship of the National University of Singapore. The work of Yong Sik Ok was carried out with the support of “ Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ01475801 ),” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Ltd",

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AU - Dissanayake, Pavani Dulanja

AU - Tian, Hailin

AU - Tio, Zhi Kai

AU - Cui, Ruofan

AU - Lim, Ee Yang

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AU - Hoy, Sherilyn H.

AU - Lum, Tiffany Q.H.

AU - Tsui, To Hung

AU - Yoon, Chui San

AU - Dai, Yanjun

AU - Wang, Chi Hwa

AU - Tan, Hugh T.W.

AU - Tong, Yen Wah

N1 - Funding Information: This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme. This study was also funded by the National University of Singapore (NUS) grant, From Food Waste to Sustainable Food Production: NUS As Test Bed For The Nation with the grant number R-154-000-A97-133. The work of Shuang Song was supported by a Research Scholarship of the National University of Singapore. The work of Yong Sik Ok was carried out with the support of “ Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ01475801 ),” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

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Biochar utilisation in the anaerobic digestion of food waste for the creation of a circular economy via biogas upgrading and digestate treatment

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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