Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has been widely used for solid organic waste and wastewater disposal as well as bioenergy production. The biogas produced from AD is also considered as one of the most important renewable energy resources and intermediates. Though promising, some key barriers, such as low biogas production efficiency, long fermentation period, limit volumetric efficiency, and high capital cost is still existing in the AD process. AD is a biochemical process, which is mainly driven by a complex microbial community involving hydrolytic, fermenting, homoacetogenic, syntrophic, and methanogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the microbial compositions and synergy mechanisms in the AD system would affect its performance directly. Some biological strategies e.g. bioaugmentation with exogenous microorganisms, enrichment and stimulation of the special endogenous microorganisms have been previously reported as promising methods to improve the AD efficiency. However, further research will be still needed to advance AD process based on both fundamental and process development progress.
Given the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution caused by the over-consumption of fossil fuels, the development of high-efficient AD receives increasing attention. Meanwhile, AD faces challenges, e.g., low biogas production efficiency and long fermentation period that should be addressed prior to the commercialization of AD technology. Biological strategy represents a potentially economical and environmentally friendly solution. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. The current Research Topic emphasizes understanding and advancing the applications of biological strategies including biological pretreatment of the substrate, bioaugmentation technology, interactions between species and operation conditions, and enrichment of specific microorganisms to improve the AD performance. Additionally, the interactions and syntrophisms of different microorganisms involved in the AD process are also expected to be explored in the current Research Topic.
The current Research Topic aims to cover promising and novel research in biological strategies to enhance AD performance and promote AD commercialization. Article types including original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspectives will be welcomed. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Biological pretreatment of the substrate to improve the AD efficiency
• Bioaugmentation to improve the AD efficiency or solve certain problems in AD process, e.g., ammonia inhibition and organic loading rate, etc.
• Adaptation to toxicants in order to avoid process inhibition
• Enrichment and stimulation of the specific endogenous microorganisms to improve the AD efficiency.
• The interactions and syntrophisms of different microorganisms involved in the AD process
• Biogas upgrading by bioconversion of carbon dioxide into methane or other valuable chemicals
• Systematic modeling to reveal microbial processes during AD
• Advance analytical approaches for microbial community structure and evolution
• Upcycling of the biogas digestate
Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has been widely used for solid organic waste and wastewater disposal as well as bioenergy production. The biogas produced from AD is also considered as one of the most important renewable energy resources and intermediates. Though promising, some key barriers, such as low biogas production efficiency, long fermentation period, limit volumetric efficiency, and high capital cost is still existing in the AD process. AD is a biochemical process, which is mainly driven by a complex microbial community involving hydrolytic, fermenting, homoacetogenic, syntrophic, and methanogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the microbial compositions and synergy mechanisms in the AD system would affect its performance directly. Some biological strategies e.g. bioaugmentation with exogenous microorganisms, enrichment and stimulation of the special endogenous microorganisms have been previously reported as promising methods to improve the AD efficiency. However, further research will be still needed to advance AD process based on both fundamental and process development progress.
Given the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution caused by the over-consumption of fossil fuels, the development of high-efficient AD receives increasing attention. Meanwhile, AD faces challenges, e.g., low biogas production efficiency and long fermentation period that should be addressed prior to the commercialization of AD technology. Biological strategy represents a potentially economical and environmentally friendly solution. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. The current Research Topic emphasizes understanding and advancing the applications of biological strategies including biological pretreatment of the substrate, bioaugmentation technology, interactions between species and operation conditions, and enrichment of specific microorganisms to improve the AD performance. Additionally, the interactions and syntrophisms of different microorganisms involved in the AD process are also expected to be explored in the current Research Topic.
The current Research Topic aims to cover promising and novel research in biological strategies to enhance AD performance and promote AD commercialization. Article types including original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspectives will be welcomed. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Biological pretreatment of the substrate to improve the AD efficiency
• Bioaugmentation to improve the AD efficiency or solve certain problems in AD process, e.g., ammonia inhibition and organic loading rate, etc.
• Adaptation to toxicants in order to avoid process inhibition
• Enrichment and stimulation of the specific endogenous microorganisms to improve the AD efficiency.
• The interactions and syntrophisms of different microorganisms involved in the AD process
• Biogas upgrading by bioconversion of carbon dioxide into methane or other valuable chemicals
• Systematic modeling to reveal microbial processes during AD
• Advance analytical approaches for microbial community structure and evolution
• Upcycling of the biogas digestate