Research Projects

This proposal aims to develop an Anaerobic Microbial Electrolysis System (AMES) for the production of advanced biofuels (biomethane, biohydrogen) and biochemicals (medium-chain fatty acids, particularly caproic acid) from wet biomass and municipal wastewater streams. The key innovation lies in the integration of microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) with anaerobic digestion (AD) to address the limitations of conventional AD systems in terms of biogas purity, yield. The project objectives include: 1) Designing and optimizing a single and two-chamber AMES system, 2) Investigating the impact of feedstock (Napier grass extract and landfill leachate) on product yields, 3) Optimizing critical operating conditions (voltage, pH, organic loading rate, residence time, etc.) to maximize the production of biohydrogen, biomethane, and medium-chain fatty acids, 4) Identifying and characterizing the key microbial communities responsible for enhanced biofuel and biochemical generation, 5) Demonstrating the optimized AMES system at a 50 L/day scale and 6) Techno-economic feasibility for large-scale implementation and comparison with conventional AD and MEC process. The project will leverage the benefits of MEC-AD integration, where the applied voltage in the MEC can stimulate electrochemical reactions to enable direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), enhance methanogenesis, and promote the chain elongation of short-chain fatty acids to produce caproic acid through in-situ CO2 utilization. This synergistic approach aims to address the drawbacks of conventional AD systems, such as low biogas purity, sensitivity to environmental conditions, and limited product portfolios. The proposed AMES will be designed to valorize wet biomass (Napier grass) and municipal wastewater (landfill leachate) streams, transforming them into valuable biofuels and biochemicals. The fibrous Napier grass residue will also be utilized to produce fermented organic manure, promoting a circular bioeconomy. The project outcomes are expected to provide a sustainable solution for municipalities in harnessing bioenergy from landfill leachate and an opportunity for the compressed biogas (CBG) and transport sectors to utilize green energy from biomass. Overall, this research project aims to develop a versatile and efficient AMES system that can serve as a technology platform for the integrated production of diverse biofuels and biochemicals from wet biomass and municipal wastewater streams, thereby contributing to the broader goals of sustainable energy and waste management.