Enhanced Biogas Production from Pine Litter Codigestion with Food Waste, Microbial Community, Kinetics, and Technoeconomic Feasibility

In this study, a noteworthy increase in biogas generation from pine litter was achieved by codigesting it with food waste. Within the microbial communities present, a high level of species richness as well as diversity was observed among bacterial decomposers. Bacteroides dominated the population at 32.9%, with phylum Proteobacteria being the second at 27.4%. Further, bacteria belonging to the family Comamonadaceae, whose niche as lignin degraders has recently been acknowledged, were present. The sample additionally appeared enriched with acetogens, syntrophic acetogens, and methanogens, indicating probable replacement of communities with metabolic capabilities adapted to the particular stage of decomposition. Anaerobic digestibility of the process was also studied with the help of one kinetic and three mathematical models. Technoeconomic and sensitivity analysis of the process showed the process was feasible. The process will seek the attention of stakeholders and policymakers due to profitability while transferring the technology from lab to the pilot scale.