Enhanced methane production by granular activated carbon: A review

Granular activated carbon stimulates biogas production in pilot-scale anaerobic digester treating agro-industrial wastewater

“…Other characteristics of GAC may also play an important role in the enhanced methane production.For example, the porous structure of GAC promotes the establishment of biofilms on its surface, resulting in fostered syntrophic interactions between microbes and significant changes in the established microbial community composition (Dai et al, 2022). Results have shown that GAC promote the enrichment of both electro-active bacteria and methanogens on its surface (Xiao et al, 2022). Moreover, the enrichment of acetoclastic methanogens on the surface of GAC could enhance the methane production without the presence of DIET.…”

Adding Granular Activated Carbon and Zerovalent Iron to the High-Solid Anaerobic Digestion System of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste: Anaerobic Digestion Performance and Microbial Community Analysis

“…Interestingly, when 50 g/L GAC was added to commercial dog food (similar to the OFMSW in composition), the highest cumulative methane production was obtained . Nonetheless, some researchers reported no difference in cumulative methane production between the GAC-added group and the control group for seed biomass from wastewater treatment plants . In contrast, in some cases, such as fat, oil, and grease (FOG) digestion, the addition of GAC resulted in a 10–57% reduction in methane production compared to that of the control group .…”

“… 13 Nonetheless, some researchers reported no difference in cumulative methane production between the GAC-added group and the control group for seed biomass from wastewater treatment plants. 14 In contrast, in some cases, such as fat, oil, and grease (FOG) digestion, the addition of GAC resulted in a 10–57% reduction in methane production compared to that of the control group. 15 Thus, the optimal addition amount of GAC remains unclear, reflecting the variability in outcomes across different substrates and experimental conditions.…”

Gasification chars and activated carbon: Systematic physico-chemical characterization and effect on biogas production

“…Only one study reported a negative effect of AC on CH 4 production [ 12 ]. The positive effect of AC was mainly attributed to its ability of adsorbing substances that negatively impact microorganisms, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients like antibiotics [ 13 ], and the high electrical conductivity of the char, which is considered to improve direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) [ 14 , 15 ]. A negative impact might be that not only inhibitors but also substrates, such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), can be adsorbed.…”