International Journal of Waste Resources

Decomposition of Anaerobic Food Waste in Various Industries and Disposal Methods

Chuanren Li^* Department of Waste Management, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco
^*Correspondence: Chuanren Li, Department of Waste Management, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco, Email:

Received: 14-Feb-2023, Manuscript No. IJWR-23-20833; Editor assigned: 17-Feb-2023, Pre QC No. IJWR-23-20833(PQ); Reviewed: 08-Mar-2023, QC No. IJWR-23-20833; Revised: 15-Mar-2023, Manuscript No. IJWR-23-20833(R); Published: 22-Mar-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2252-5211.23.13.518

Description

Anaerobic composting of food waste is the decomposition of organic matter without oxygen. It can be used to ferment the waste and produce biogas, a renewable energy source. However, it can also cause odors, pathogens, and greenhouse gas emissions if not done properly. Some advantages of anaerobic composting are that it can handle large amounts of food waste, reduce the volume and weight of the waste, and generate income from biogas and fertilizer. Some disadvantages are that it requires airtight containers, careful monitoring of pH and temperature, and longer time than aerobic composting.

The main difference between anaerobic and aerobic composting is the presence or absence of oxygen. It requires oxygen and uses aerobic bacteria to break down organic matter. It does not require oxygen and uses anaerobic bacteria to break down organic matter. It is faster, produces fewer odors, and generates more heat than anaerobic composting. It is slower, produces more odors, and generates less heat than aerobic composting. It produces compost, water, and carbon dioxide, digestate and biogas as the main outputs.

Anaerobic composting involves four main stages:

• In hydrolysis the bacteria breaks the organic materials into simpler molecules, such as sugars and amino acids.

• Bacteria convert sugars and amino acids into acids, alcohols, ammonia, and hydrogen.

• Acetogenesis bacteria convert acids and alcohols into acetic acid, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

• Methanogenesis Archaea produces methane and carbon dioxide from acetic acid, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. These stages occur in a sealed container or pit, where oxygen is excluded and anaerobic microorganisms thrive. The process can take several months to complete.

An example of anaerobic treatment of wastewater is the use of anaerobic digesters to treat wastewater from various industries, such as food production, paper and pulp, and sewage. Anaerobic digesters are bioreactors that contain anaerobic microorganisms that break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. The process produces biogas, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide, and digestate, which is a nutrient-rich sludge that can be used as fertilizer. Anaerobic treatment of wastewater can reduce the volume and weight of the waste, generate renewable energy from biogas, and sanitize the waste by killing pathogens. However, it also requires airtight containers, careful monitoring of pH and temperature, and longer time than aerobic treatment.

The anaerobic cultivation of bacteria does not require any oxygen for growth. Some examples of anaerobic culture media is special anaerobic culture media contains reducing agents or substances that can scavenge oxygen and create an anaerobic environment. Examples are thioglycollate broth, cooked meat medium, and Robertson’s cooked meat broth. Anaerobic chamber is a sealed container that is filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen or a mixture of gases that exclude oxygen. The chamber has gloves attached to it that allows the manipulation of the culture media and the bacteria inside. Anaerobic bags or pouches are plastic bags or envelopes that contain a chemical sachet that generates hydrogen and carbon dioxide when activated by water. The hydrogen reacts with any residual oxygen in the bag to form water, creating an anaerobic atmosphere. The bags or pouches can be incubated with the culture media and the bacteria. Anaerobic jars are glass or plastic jars that have a lid with a rubber gasket that seals tightly. The jars can be filled with an inert gas or a chemical sachet that produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide. A palladium catalyst is placed inside the jar to facilitate the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water. The jars can also be incubated with the culture media and the bacteria.

Conclusion

Anaerobic composting has some advantages, such as low energy requirement, low nutrient demand, and biogas production. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as slow decomposition rate, unpleasant odor, potential pathogens, and low-quality compost. Anaerobic composting can be improved by reducing the amount of improper materials in the waste, pretreating the waste to enhance biodegradability, and optimizing the process parameters, such as temperature, pH, and moisture content.