Simultaneous enhancement of biogas production and antibiotic resistance gene removal by sawdust biochar in anaerobic digestion of chicken manure
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study evaluated the impacts of two types of biochar, namely, corn-stover and sawdust, on biogas yield and the removal of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during the anaerobic digestion (AD) of chicken manure. Corn-stover biochar and sawdust biochar maintained the pH under neutral conditions, and simultaneously, effective hydrolysis, acidification, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis avoided excessive volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and free ammonia (FAN) inhibition, resulting in a 27.69% (corn-stover biochar) and 19.65% (sawdust biochar) increase in cumulative gas production. However, the low specific surface area of sawdust biochar was not conducive to the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, reducing the total number of microorganisms and thus enhancing the removal of macrolide and sulfonamide ARGs’ absolute abundance compared with corn-stover biochar. Microbial community analysis revealed that biochar addition enriched Methanosarcina (up to >96% relative abundance) and syntrophic bacteria such as Sphaerochaeta and Fastidiosipila , which facilitated methanogenesis and substrate degradation. Furthermore, structural equation models (SEMs) revealed that total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), pH, and FAN indirectly determine ARG abundance by influencing potential hosts and intI1 . This study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of these common biochars in enhancing the efficiency of chicken manure AD and reducing environmental ARGs.
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223149904