Advanced Anaerobic Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Waste for Bioregenerative Life Support following Thermal Water Treatment and Biodegradation by Fibrobacter Succinogenes

Lissens, Geert, Verstraete, Willy, Albrecht, Tobias, Brunner, Gerd, Creuly, Catherine, Seon, Jerome, Dussap, Gilles and Lasseur, Christophe (2004) Advanced Anaerobic Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Waste for Bioregenerative Life Support following Thermal Water Treatment and Biodegradation by Fibrobacter Succinogenes. Biodegradation, 15 3: 173-183.


Author Lissens, Geert
Verstraete, Willy
Albrecht, Tobias
Brunner, Gerd
Creuly, Catherine
Seon, Jerome
Dussap, Gilles
Lasseur, Christophe
Title Advanced Anaerobic Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Waste for Bioregenerative Life Support following Thermal Water Treatment and Biodegradation by Fibrobacter Succinogenes
Journal name Biodegradation  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2004-06
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1023/B:BIOD.0000026515.16311.4a
Volume number 15
Issue number 3
ISSN 0923-9820
1572-9729
Start page 173
End page 183
Total pages 11
Place of publication Dordrecht
Publisher Kluwer
Language eng
Subject 090703 Environmental Technologies
Formatted abstract The feasibility of nearly-complete conversion of lignocellulosic waste (70% food crops, 20% faecal matter and 10% green algae) into biogas was investigated in the context of a life support project. The treatment comprised a series of processes, i.e., a mesophilic laboratory scale CSTR (continuously stirred tank reactor), an upflow biofilm reactor, a fiber liquefaction reactor employing the rumen bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes and a hydrothermolysis system in near-critical water. By the one-stage CSTR, a biogas yield of 75% with a specific biogas production of 0.37 l biogas g–1 VSS (volatile suspended solids) added at a RT (hydraulic retention time) of 20–25 d was obtained. Biogas yields could not be increased considerably at higher RT, indicating the depletion of readily available substrate after 25 d. The solids present in the CSTR-effluent were subsequently treated in two ways. Hydrothermal treatment (T ~ 310–350 °C, p ~ 240 bar) resulted in effective carbon liquefaction (50–60% without and 83% with carbon dioxide saturation) and complete sanitation of the residue. Application of the cellulolytic Fibrobacter succinogenes converted remaining cellulose contained in the CSTR-effluent into acetate and propionate mainly. Subsequent anaerobic digestion of the hydrothermolysis and the Fibrobacter hydrolysates allowed conversion of 48–60% and 30%, respectively. Thus, the total process yielded biogas corresponding with conversions up to 90% of the original organic matter. It appears that particularly mesophilic digestionin conjunction with hydrothermolysis at near-critical conditions offers interesting features for (nearly) complete and hygienic carbon and energy recovery from human waste in a bioregenerative life support context.
Keyword biogas
biosolids
carbon cycling
food waste
hydrothermolysis
Q-Index Code C1

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) - Collection
Advanced Water Management Centre Publications
 
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