Unlocking the potential of conductive materials for advancing the frontiers in anaerobic digestion
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Anaerobic digestion (AD) process, a key contributor to the bioenergy sector, creates a nexus between sustainable resource/waste management and bioenergy generation. Research on increasing the efficiency, improving robustness, enhancing the spectrum and addressing the current challenges in AD is of global focus. Process parameters and indicators are metrics for monitoring and understanding the complex biochemical process dynamics. Conductive material (CM) supplementation is one of the strategies that enhances microbial growth, facilitates DIET and alleviates toxicity in the AD system. Research on comprehending the effects and scaling the applications of CM is widely active. This review summarises the significance of key parameters in AD process and discusses the roles of different conductive materials in the AD process in relation to their physicochemical properties. The additive and synergistic effects of hybrid or composite CMs have been emphasized. Since micro-organisms govern the AD system, microbiological investigations provide mechanistic insights into the process dynamics. Hence, a summary of the reports on the effect of CM supplementation on microbial community dynamics of AD is also discussed. Based on the current reports, a discussion on the future perspectives in AD research aiming towards fundamental understanding as well as translation of the process potential for real-time applications is presented.
Source: Fuel
Authors: Ghurupreya Ramesh, Mohanakrishnan Logan
Institution: Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Language: English
Subfield: Building and Construction
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,330
OpenAlex ID: W4414366130