Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis

Abstract BackgroundItaly can augment its profit from biorefinery products by altering the operation of digesters or different designs to obtain more precious bioproducts like volatile fatty acids (VFAs) than biogas from organic municipal solid waste. In this context, recognizi...

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Main Author: Hojjat Borhany
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-02-01
Series:JMIRx Med
Online Access:https://xmed.jmir.org/2025/1/e50458
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author Hojjat Borhany
author_facet Hojjat Borhany
author_sort Hojjat Borhany
collection DOAJ
description Abstract BackgroundItaly can augment its profit from biorefinery products by altering the operation of digesters or different designs to obtain more precious bioproducts like volatile fatty acids (VFAs) than biogas from organic municipal solid waste. In this context, recognizing the process stability and outputs through operational interventions and its technical and economic feasibility is a critical issue. Hence, this study involves an anaerobic digester in Treviso in northern Italy. ObjectiveThis research compares a novel line, consisting of pretreatment, acidogenic fermentation, and anaerobic digestion, with single-step anaerobic digestion regarding financial profit and surplus energy. Therefore, a mass flow model was created and refined based on the outputs from the experimental and numerical studies. These studies examine the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT), pretreatment, biochar addition, and fine-tuned feedstock/inoculum (FS/IN) ratio on bioproducts and operational parameters. MethodsVFA concentration, VFA weight ratio distribution, and biogas yield were quantified by gas chromatography. A t ResultsBoth HRTs were identical concerning the ratio of VFA/soluble chemical oxygen demand (0.88 kg/kg) and VFA weight ratio distribution: mainly, acetic acid (40%), butyric acid (24%), and caproic acid (17%). However, a significantly higher mean VFA content was confirmed for an HRT of 4.5 days than the quantity for an HRT of 3 days (30.77, SD 2.82 vs 27.66, SD 2.45 g–soluble chemical oxygen demand/L), using a tt8P443 ConclusionsThis research elaborates on the advantage of the refined novel line over the single-step anaerobic digestion and confirms its financial and technical feasibility. Further, changing the HRT and other amendments significantly raised the VFA concentration and the process kinetics and stability.
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spelling doaj-art-df0254b9f9e94e69b5a0049c7bb2334b2025-02-11T17:16:33ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIRx Med2563-63162025-02-016e50458e5045810.2196/50458Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical AnalysisHojjat Borhanyhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-5253-8767 Abstract BackgroundItaly can augment its profit from biorefinery products by altering the operation of digesters or different designs to obtain more precious bioproducts like volatile fatty acids (VFAs) than biogas from organic municipal solid waste. In this context, recognizing the process stability and outputs through operational interventions and its technical and economic feasibility is a critical issue. Hence, this study involves an anaerobic digester in Treviso in northern Italy. ObjectiveThis research compares a novel line, consisting of pretreatment, acidogenic fermentation, and anaerobic digestion, with single-step anaerobic digestion regarding financial profit and surplus energy. Therefore, a mass flow model was created and refined based on the outputs from the experimental and numerical studies. These studies examine the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT), pretreatment, biochar addition, and fine-tuned feedstock/inoculum (FS/IN) ratio on bioproducts and operational parameters. MethodsVFA concentration, VFA weight ratio distribution, and biogas yield were quantified by gas chromatography. A t ResultsBoth HRTs were identical concerning the ratio of VFA/soluble chemical oxygen demand (0.88 kg/kg) and VFA weight ratio distribution: mainly, acetic acid (40%), butyric acid (24%), and caproic acid (17%). However, a significantly higher mean VFA content was confirmed for an HRT of 4.5 days than the quantity for an HRT of 3 days (30.77, SD 2.82 vs 27.66, SD 2.45 g–soluble chemical oxygen demand/L), using a tt8P443 ConclusionsThis research elaborates on the advantage of the refined novel line over the single-step anaerobic digestion and confirms its financial and technical feasibility. Further, changing the HRT and other amendments significantly raised the VFA concentration and the process kinetics and stability.https://xmed.jmir.org/2025/1/e50458
spellingShingle Hojjat Borhany
Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
JMIRx Med
title Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
title_full Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
title_fullStr Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
title_short Converting Organic Municipal Solid Waste Into Volatile Fatty Acids and Biogas: Experimental Pilot and Batch Studies With Statistical Analysis
title_sort converting organic municipal solid waste into volatile fatty acids and biogas experimental pilot and batch studies with statistical analysis
url https://xmed.jmir.org/2025/1/e50458
work_keys_str_mv AT hojjatborhany convertingorganicmunicipalsolidwasteintovolatilefattyacidsandbiogasexperimentalpilotandbatchstudieswithstatisticalanalysis