Mechanism of biochar for enhancing VFAs production during anaerobic fermentation of food waste

SHI Fangying; CHEN Jingting; YANG Wanli; XU Qiyong; WANG Ning

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202607019

Volume 44 Issue 7

Jul. 2026

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Article Navigation > ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING > 2026 > 44(7): 191-198

SHI Fangying, CHEN Jingting, YANG Wanli, XU Qiyong, WANG Ning. Mechanism of biochar for enhancing VFAs production during anaerobic fermentation of food waste[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2026, 44(7): 191-198. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607019

Citation:

SHI Fangying, CHEN Jingting, YANG Wanli, XU Qiyong, WANG Ning. Mechanism of biochar for enhancing VFAs production during anaerobic fermentation of food waste[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2026, 44(7): 191-198. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607019

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Mechanism of biochar for enhancing VFAs production during anaerobic fermentation of food waste

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607019

1. Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China;
2. Hainan Key Laboratory for Tropical Ecological Circular Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Haikou 571101, China

Received Date: 2026-03-28
Available Online: 2026-09-01

Abstract

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of biochar on volatile fatty acids （VFAs） production， biogas composition， physicochemical properties of the fermentation broth， and microbial community structure through batch anaerobic fermentation experiments using food waste as the substrate. The results demonstrated that the addition of biochar （1 g/L） significantly enhanced VFAs production， with the total VFAs concentration reaching 2150 mg/L in the biochar group， which was 30.2% higher than that of the control group. Acetic acid， propionic acid， and butyric acid were identified as the primary VFAs components. In the fermentation system， biochar exhibited a notable pH-buffering effect， stabilizing the fermentation environment. Additionally， its porous structure adsorbed ions during the fermentation process， resulting in a slightly lower electrical conductivity compared to the control group. Microbial community analysis revealed that biochar addition enriched key acidogenic bacteria， such as Defluviitoga and norank_f__Family_XI， optimizing the microbial community structure， and thereby facilitating organic acid production. In summary， biochar effectively promoted the efficient accumulation of VFAs during anaerobic fermentation of food waste by improving the fermentation microenvironment， enhancing system buffering capacity， and regulating microbial community composition. These findings provide theoretical support for sustainable enhancement of resource utilization of food waste.
- biochar,
- food waste,
- anaerobic fermentation,
- volatile fatty acids

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References(42)

References

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