Anaerobic Digestion of Cigarette Butts: Microbial Community Analysis and Energy Production Estimation

Okkyoung Choi, Sae Eun Hwang, Hyojung Park and Byoung-In Sang
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Okkyoung Choi: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Korea
Sae Eun Hwang: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Korea
Hyojung Park: Gwangju Bioenergy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), 25 Samso-ro, Gwangju 61003, Korea
Byoung-In Sang: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-14

Abstract: Anaerobic digestion using cigarette butts, one of most littered items, was studied not only as a waste treatment, but also as an energy production method. Methane production from cigarette butts was measured through the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test and it was evaluated whether it is possible to produce electrical energy. Intact cigarettes or individual components (filter, paper, and leaf) were supplied as the sole carbon source (substrate) for the BMP test. The tendency of methane production indicated biodegradation in the order of paper, filter, and leaves; however, the filter of cigarettes was the substrate produced the highest amount of methane per total solid. The microbial community was also analyzed in each anaerobic digestion reactor, and substrate-specific microorganisms were identified, such as Proteiniphilum strain (filter) and Methanobacterium formicicum (paper). In intact cigarettes, the related microbial community became dominant over time in the order of paper, filter, and leaf. The conversion of cigarette butts to methane, a renewable energy source, can be proposed as a sustainable route for energy demand, for example, in a smoking room.

Keywords: cigarette butts; anaerobic digestion; microbial community; methane; waste to energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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