Wood Biochar Enhances the Valorisation of the Anaerobic Digestion of Chicken Manure

Tien Ngo, Leadin S. Khudur, Ibrahim Gbolahan Hakeem, Kalpit Shah, Aravind Surapaneni and Andrew S. Ball
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Tien Ngo: School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
Leadin S. Khudur: School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
Ibrahim Gbolahan Hakeem: ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
Kalpit Shah: ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
Aravind Surapaneni: ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
Andrew S. Ball: School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia

Clean Technol., 2022, vol. 4, issue 2, 1-20

Abstract: In this study, the efficacy of biochar to mitigate ammonia stress and improve methane production is investigated. Chicken manure (CM) was subjected to high-solid mesophilic anaerobic digestion (15% total solid content) with wood biochar (BC). Wood biochar was further treated using HNO 3 and NaOH to produce acid–alkali-treated wood biochar (TBC), with an improvement in its overall ammonium adsorption capacity and porosity. Three treatments were loaded in triplicate into the digesters, without biochar, with biochar and with acid–alkali-treated biochar and maintained at 37 °C for 110 days. The study found a significant improvement in CH 4 formation kinetics via enhanced substrate degradation, leading to CH 4 production of 74.7 mL g −1 VS and 70.1 mL g −1 VS by BC and TBC treatments, compared to 39.5 mL g −1 VS by control treatments on the 28th day, respectively. However, only the use of TBC was able to prolong methane production during the semi-inhibition phase. The use of TBC also resulted in the highest removal of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) of 86.3%. In addition, the treatment with TBC preserved the highest microbial biomass at day 110. The presence of TBC also resulted in an increase in electrical conductivity, possibly promoting DIET-mediated methanogenesis. Overall, the acid–alkali treatment of biochar can be a novel approach to improve biochar’s existing characteristics for its utilisation as an additive in anaerobic digestion.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion; ammonia inhibition; ammonium adsorption; biochar; chicken manure; methane production; sustainability; waste biomass (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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