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To date, microwave radiation has been successfully used to support the chemical hydrolysis of organic substrates in the laboratory. There is a lack of studies on large-scale plants that would provide the basis for a reliable evaluation of this technology. The aim of the research was to determine the effectiveness of using microwave radiation to support the acidic and alkaline thermohydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass prior to anaerobic digestion on a semi-industrial scale. Regardless of the pretreatment options, similar concentrations of dissolved organic compounds were observed, ranging from 99.0 ± 2.5 g/L to 115.0 ± 3.0 in the case of COD and from 33.9 ± 0.92 g/L to 38.2 ± 1.41 g/L for TOC. However, these values were more than twice as high as the values for the substrate without pretreatment. The degree of solubilisation was similar and ranged between 20 and 28% for both monitored indicators. The highest anaerobic digestion effects, ranging from 99 to 102 LCH4/kgFM, were achieved using a combined process consisting of 20 min of microwave heating, 0.10–0.20 g HCl/gTS dose, and alkaline thermohydrolysis. For the control sample, the value was only 78 LCH4/kgFM; for the other variants, it was between 79 and 94 LCH4/kgFM. The highest net energy gain of 3.51 kWh was achieved in the combined alkaline thermohydrolysis with NaOH doses between 0.10 and 0.20 g/gTS. The use of a prototype at the 5th technology readiness level made it possible to demonstrate that the strong technological effects of the thermohydrolysis process, as demonstrated in laboratory tests to date, do not allow for positive energy balance in most cases. This fact considerably limits the practical application of this type of solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research to date has mainly focused on the properties and efficiency of the production of selected, individual types of biofuels from microalgae biomass. There are not enough studies investigating the efficiency of the production of all energy sources synthesised by these microorganisms in a single technological cycle. The aim of this research was to determine the possibilities and efficiency of the production of hydrogen, bio-oil, and methane in the continuous cycle of processing T. subcordiformis microalgae biomass. This study showed it was feasible to produce these three energy carriers, but the production protocol adopted was not necessarily valuable from the energy gain standpoint. The production of bio-oil was found to be the least viable process, as bio-oil energy value was only 1.3 kWh/MgTS. The most valuable single process for microalgae biomass conversion turned out to be methane fermentation. The highest specific gross energy gain was found after applying a protocol combining biomass production, hydrogen biosynthesis, and subsequent methane production from T. subcordiformis biomass, which yielded a total value of 1891.4 kWh/MgTS. The direct methane fermentation of T. subcordiformis biomass enabled energy production at 1769.8 kWh/MgTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste glycerol can be subjected to various processing operations, including purification and refining, to obtain glycerol of an appropriate purity. Alternative methods for utilising waste glycerol are also being sought, e.g., by converting it into other valuable chemical products or biofuels. Therefore, various technologies are being developed to ensure effective and sustainable utilisation of this type of waste. The production of value-added products from waste glycerol strongly determines the improvement of the economic viability of biofuel production and corresponds to the model of a waste-free and emission-free circular economy. This paper characterises the mechanisms and evaluates the efficiency of existing methods for microbiological utilisation of waste glycerol into liquid biofuels, including biodiesel, bioethanol and biobutanol, and identifies further production avenues of value-added products. In addition, it presents the results of a bibliographical analysis of publications related to the production of liquid fuels and economically valuable products from glycerol, assesses the progress of research and application work and, finally, identifies areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic wastewater treatment is, in many cases, a justified alternative to typical activated sludge processes, from a technological, economic, and ecological point of view. The optimisation of fermentation reactors is primarily concerned with increasing the biodegradation of organic compounds and biogas production, as well as improving efficiency in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. The aim of the research was to determine the impact of using low-cost recycled filling on the efficiency of treating real confectionery wastewater in a vertical anaerobic labyrinth flow bioreactor. The experiments focused on selecting the organic loading rate that would allow for the effective biodegradation and removal of pollutants, as well as the efficient production of biomethane. It was found that the tested reactor can operate efficiently at a maximum organic loading rate (OLR) of 7.0–8.0 g of chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L·d. In this OLR range, high efficiency was guaranteed for both wastewater treatment and biogas production. However, increasing the OLR value to 8.0 g COD/L·d had a significant negative effect on the methane (CH4) content in the biogas. The most efficient variants achieved a biodegradation efficiency of around 90% of the organic compounds, a CH4 content of over 70% in the biogas, and a biogas yield of over 400 L/kg of COD removed. A significant influence of the applied OLR on the ratio of free organic acids (FOS) to total alkaline capacity (TAC) and pH was observed, as well as a strong correlation of these indicators with the specific biogas yield and CH4 content. The application of a solution based on the use of a hybrid system of anaerobic granulated sludge and an anaerobic filter resulted in an efficient treatment process and an almost complete elimination of suspensions from the wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need to find methods to intensify the anaerobic digestion process. One possibility is the use of pretreatment techniques. Many laboratory tests confirm their effectiveness, but in most cases, there is no verification work carried out on industrial plants. A reliable and complete evaluation of new solutions can only be carried out in plants that reflect operating conditions at a higher readiness technological level. This has a direct impact on the scientific value and, above all, on the high application value of innovative technologies. The aim of our research carried out under laboratory conditions and on a large scale was to determine the technological and energy efficiency of the use of hydrodynamic cavitation in the pretreatment of a waste mixture from dairy farms. It has been shown that hydrodynamic cavitation significantly increases the concentration of organic compounds in the dissolved phase. In the most effective variants, the increase in the content of these indicators was over 90% for both COD and TOC. The degree of solubilisation achieved was 49 ± 2.6% for COD and almost 52 ± 4.4% for TOC. Under laboratory conditions, the highest effects of anaerobic digestion were achieved after 10 min of pretreatment. The amount of biogas was, on average, 367 ± 18 mL/gCOD, and the amount of methane was 233 ± 13 mL/gCOD. Further large-scale optimisation trials showed that after 8 min of hydrodynamic cavitation, the biogas yield was 327 ± 8 L/kgCOD with a CH4 content of 62.9 ± 1.9%. With this variant, the net energy yield was 66.4 ± 2.6 kWh/day, a value that was 13.9% higher than the original variant with 10 min of disintegration and 3.1% higher than the variant without pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of excess aerobic granular sludge, related to its structure and chemical composition, limit the efficiency of anaerobic digestion. For this reason, pre-treatment methods and compositions with other organic substrates are used. In earlier work, no attempt was made to intensify the methane fermentation of the excess aerobic granular sludge by adding fatty waste materials. The aim of the research was to determine the effects of co-digestion of pre-hydrodynamically cavitated aerobic granular sludge with waste fats on the efficiency of methane fermentation under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The addition of waste fats improved the C/N ratio and increased its value to 19. Under mesophilic conditions, the highest effects were observed when the proportion of volatile solids from waste fats was 25%. The amount of biogas produced increased by 17.85% and CH4 by 19.85% compared to the control. The greatest effects were observed in thermophilic anaerobic digestion at 55 °C, where a 15% waste fat content in volatile solids was ensured. This resulted in the production of 1278.2 ± 40.2 mL/gVS biogas and 889.4 ± 29.7 mL/gVS CH4. The CH4 content of the biogas was 69.6 ± 1.3%. The increase in biogas and CH4 yield compared to pure aerobic granular sludge anaerobic digestion was 34.4% and 40.1%, respectively. An increase in the proportion of waste fats in the substrate had no significant effect on the efficiency of methane fermentation. Strong positive correlations (R2 > 0.9) were observed between biogas and CH4 production and the C/N ratio and VS concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has a strong impact on global warming. Therefore, efficient technologies must be used to reduce CO2 emissions. One of the methods is the biofixation of CO2 by microalgae and cyanobacteria. This is now a widely described technology that can improve the economics of biomass production and reduce CO2 emissions. There are no reports on the possibility of using it to clean exhaust gases from biogas combustion. The aim of the research was to determine the possibility of using Arthrospira platensis cultures to remove CO2 from biogas combustion. The efficiency of biomass production and the effectiveness of biological CO2 fixation were evaluated. The use of exhaust gases led to a more efficient increase in cyanobacterial biomass. The growth rate in the exponential phase was 209 ± 17 mgVS/L·day, allowing a biomass concentration of 2040 ± 49 mgVS/L. However, the use of exhaust gases led to a decrease in the pH of the culture medium and a rapid decline in the Arthrospira platensis population. The cyanobacteria effectively fixed CO2, and its concentration was limited from 13 ± 1% to 1.3 ± 0.7%. There was no influence of the exhaust gases on changes in the qualitative composition of the cyanobacterial biomass. In the culture fed with exhaust gas, the A. platensis population quickly entered the death phase, which requires close monitoring. This is an important indication for potential operators of large-scale photobioreactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The costs associated with microalgal biomass production can be reduced by leveraging alternative and cheap growth media. Digestate from fermentation reactors is a particularly interesting candidate for use in cultivating mixotrophic species. The aim of the present study was to assess whether pre-digested milk-industry effluent can be harnessed to grow Tetraselmis subcordiformis and produce hydrogen. The experimental series with 25% and 50% effluent in the growth medium performed the best, producing more than 2000 mgVS biomass/dm3. The biogas produced in these variants contained over 60% hydrogen. Increasing the effluent in the medium to 75% led to significant deterioration of performance, both in terms of T. subcordiformis biomass growth and biohydrogen production. The highest efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus removal, respectively 98.1 ± 1.9% and 97.1 ± 1.4%, was observed in the system to which 25% of sewage was introduced. Increasing the share of fermented wastewater directly reduced the efficiency of removing biogenic compounds. A very strong negative correlation was found between initial N-NH4 in the growth medium and T. subcordiformis biomass production rates (R2 = 0.9177). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supply of waste glycerol is rising steadily, partially due to the increased global production of biodiesel. Global biodiesel production totals about 47.1 billion liters and is a process that involves the co-production of waste glycerol, which accounts for over 12% of total esters produced. Waste glycerol is also generated during bioethanol production and is estimated to account for 10% of the total sugar consumed on average. Therefore, there is a real need to seek new technologies for reusing and neutralizing glycerol waste, as well as refining the existing ones. Biotechnological means of valorizing waste glycerol include converting it into gas biofuels via anaerobic fermentation processes. Glycerol-to-bioenergy conversion can be improved through the implementation of new technologies, the use of carefully selected or genetically modified microbial strains, the improvement of their metabolic efficiency, and the synthesis of new enzymes. The present study aimed to describe the mechanisms of microbial and anaerobic glycerol-to-biogas valorization processes (including methane, hydrogen, and biohythane) and assess their efficiency, as well as examine the progress of research and implementation work on the subject and present future avenues of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of aerobic granular sludge is a promising and future-proof solution for wastewater treatment. The implementation of this technology requires the development of efficient and cost-effective methods for the management of excess sludge. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effects of hydrodynamic cavitation on the efficiency of aerobic granular sludge digestion. Respirometric measurements were performed at a temperature of 38 °C and an initial organic load of 5.0 gVS/L. The changes in the properties of the pretreated biomass, the kinetics of methane fermentation, the amount and composition of the biogas produced, and an energetic evaluation of the process were carried out. A significant influence of hydrodynamic cavitation on the transfer of organic compounds into the dissolved phase was demonstrated. The degree of solubilisation was 37% for COD and 42% and for TOC. The efficiency of CH4 production from the pretreated sludge reached a value of 496 ± 12 mL/gVS, which corresponds to an increase of 19.6% compared to the raw biomass. The influence of cavitation on the CH4 content of the biogas was not observed. Strong correlations were found between the efficiency of anaerobic digestion and the concentration of dissolved organic compounds and the hydrodynamic cavitation time used. The gross energy yield was closely correlated with the amount of CH4. The highest comparable values of 3.12 Wh/gTS to 3.18 Wh/gTS were found in the variants in which the hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) time was between 15 min and 50 min. The highest net energy production of 2890 kWh/MgTS was achieved after 15 min of pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common technology for the recovery of energy and valuable materials from sewage sludge is anaerobic digestion (AD). Ensuring thermophilic conditions during AD has been proven to cause process intensification and an improvement in its final outcomes. Nonetheless, the search is underway for other methods to bolster the effectiveness of the AD of aerobic granular sludge (AGS), which is characterized by a compact and complex structure. A prospective AGS pre-treatment technology entails the use of solidified carbon dioxide (SCO2). The present study focused on an evaluation of the AGS pre-treatment with SCO2 on the thermophilic AD technological effects. It evaluated the effect of the SCO2 pre-treatment method on changes in the concentrations of organic and biogenic compounds in the dissolved phase and the yield and kinetics of biogas and methane production in periodical reactors, as well as enabled the development of an empirical organizational model of biogas production. SCO2 introduced to AGS caused an increase in the content of COD, N-NH4+, and P-PO43− in the AGS dissolved phase at SCO2/AGS volumetric ratios ranging from 0 to 0.3. A further increase in the SCO2 dose did not cause any statistically significant differences in this respect. The highest biogas and methane yields were obtained at SCO2/AGS of 0.3 and reached 482 ± 21 cm3/gVS and 337 ± 14 cm3/gVS, respectively. The higher SCO2 doses used led to a significant decrease in the pH value of the AGS, which, in turn, contributed to a decreasing CH4 concentration in the biogas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proven that the biocenosis of microalgae and bacteria improves the chemical properties of biomass for its use in anaerobic digestion. However, this anaerobic digestion can be limited by the strong, compact, and complex structure of granulated biomass. Therefore, there is a need to search for an effective method for microalgal–bacterial granular sludge pretreatment, which has not been undertaken in previous scientific works. In this study, ultrasonic pretreatment was used to determine the effects of sonication on anaerobic digestion efficiency. Anaerobic digestion was performed in batch respirometric reactors. It was found that the ultrasonic pretreatment enhanced the biomass solubility; thus, the organic matter concentration increased more than six times compared to the variant without pretreatment. The study showed a positive effect of sonication on the kinetics of the anaerobic process and methane production. The highest methane yield was found in the variants in which the ultrasonication lasted from 150 s to 200 s, and this yield was from 534 ± 16 mL CH4/g VS to 561 ± 17 mL CH4/g VS. The data analysis confirmed strong correlations between the pretreatment time, the amount of biogas and methane production, and the gross energy gain. The highest net energy output and net energy gain were obtained for 150 s of sonication, and, respectively, were 4.21 ± 0.17 Wh/g VS and 1.19 ± 0.18 Wh/g VS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the identified obstacles to the development of biogas plants is the limited sources of organic substrates. Hydrophytes varying in morphology, chemical composition, and origin proved to be viable alternatives. This study's aim was to determine the feasibility of deploying biomass from the cleansing of water reservoirs for anaerobic digestion. A mass and energy balance was estimated for Warmia–Mazury Province (Poland), the so-called Thousand Lake District. The effectiveness of anaerobic digestion was determined in anaerobic batch respirometric reactors. The biomass of hydrophytes harvested from this area approximated 38,070 Mg FM/year. The biogas yield from emergent plants approximated 350 m3/MgVS, and the average CH4 content of biogas reached 55%, whereas the respective values obtained from submerged biomass reached 270 m3/MgVS and 58% CH4. The total CH4 volume achievable from the facility fed with waste biomass of this type allows producing ca. 1,654,560 m3CH4/year, which enables reaching 866 kW theoretical thermal power and 636 kWe net electrical power with the facility. The contribution of biomass from mowing in this energy effect was about 84%, whereas that of the submerged vegetation obtained by hacking the bottom was 16%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing consumption of poultry meat has spurred the development of meat-processing plants and an associated rise in wastewater generation. Anaerobic digestion is one of the preferred processes for treating such waste. The current push towards biogas upgrading and out-of-plant use necessitates new, competitive ways of heating digesters. One such alternative is to use electromagnetic microwave radiation (EMR). The aim of the study was to assessment how EMR used as a heat source impacts the anaerobic processing of high-load poultry slaughterhouse wastewater (H-LPSW) and its performance. Microwave heating (MWH) was found to boost the CH4 fraction in the biogas under mesophilic conditions (35 °C) as long as the organic load rate (OLR) was maintained within 1.0 kgCOD/dm3·d to 4.0 kgCOD/dm3·d. The best performing variant—EPM heating (55 °C), OLR = 3.0 kgCOD/dm3·d, HRT = 5 days—produced 70.4 ± 2.7% CH4. High COD and TOC removal, as well as the highest biogas yields, were achieved for loadings of 1.0 gCOD/dm3·d to 4.0 gCOD/dm3·d. Effluent from the EMR-heated reactors (1.0 gCOD/dm3·d) contained, on average, 0.30 ± 0.07 gO2/dm3 at 55 °C and 0.38 ± 0.10 gO2/dm3 at 35 °C. The corresponding COD removal rates were 97.8 ± 0.6% and 98.1 ± 0.4%, respectively. The 5.0 gCOD/dm3·d and 6.0 gCOD/dm3·d OLR variants showed incremental decreases in performance. Based on the polymerase chain reaction results of 16S rDNA analysis, diversity of bacterial communities were mostly determined by OLR, not way of heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though deemed a prospective method, the bioconversion of organic waste to biohydrogen via dark fermentation (DF) has multiple drawbacks and limitations. Technological difficulties of hydrogen fermentation may, in part, be eliminated by making DF a viable method for biohythane production. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a little-known organic waste spurring a growing interest in the municipal sector; its characteristics indicate the feasibility of its use as a substrate for biohydrogen production. The major goal of the present study was to determine the effect of AGS pretreatment with solidified carbon dioxide (SCO2) on the yield of H2 (biohythane) production during anaerobic digestion (AD). It was found that an increasing dose of SCO2 caused an increase in concentrations of COD, N-NH4+, and P-PO43− in the supernatant at the SCO2/AGS volume ratios from 0 to 0.3. The AGS pretreatment at SCO2/AGS ratios within the range of 0.1–0.3 was shown to enable the production of biogas with over 8% H2 (biohythane) content. The highest yield of biohythane production, reaching 481 ± 23 cm3/gVS, was obtained at the SCO2/AGS ratio of 0.3. This variant produced 79.0 ± 6% CH4 and 8.9 ± 2% H2. The higher SCO2 doses applied caused a significant decrease in the pH value of AGS, modifying the anaerobic bacterial community to the extent that diminished anaerobic digestion performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on harnessing solidified carbon dioxide (SCO2) for municipal sewage sludge (MSS) pre-treatment have been conducted exclusively in batch reactors. This makes it difficult to accurately assess how long-term SCO2 treatment affects anaerobic digestion (AD) conditions and performance. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of long-term MSS pre-treatment with SCO2 on AD conditions, anaerobic bacterial community, and biogas composition and yields. The presented experiments are the first studies on the effect of pre-treatment with SCO2 on the efficiency of AD of MSS in continuous reactors. So far, the impact of the organic load rate (OLR) on the efficiency of MSS methane fermentation has not been assessed, which is also a novelty of the conducted research. The AD process was conducted in continuous-stirred, continuous-flow anaerobic with an active volume of 20 dm3. The digestion process was run at 38 ± 1 °C. The experiment was divided into two stages. Raw (non-pretreated) MSS was used in stage 1, whereas the MSS used in stage 2 was pre-treated with SCO2. The SCO2/MSS ratio was 1:3. Each stage was sub-divided into four variants, with different levels of the OLR ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 gCOD/dm3·day. Pre-treatment with SCO2 was found to improve AD performance at an OLR of 3.0–4.0 gVS/dm3·day. The 3.0 gVS/dm3·day variant offered the best biogas production performance—both daily (29 ± 1.3 dm3/day) and per VS added (0.49 ± 0.02 dm3/gVS)—as well as the highest CH4 content in the biogas (70.1 ± 1.0%). In this variant, the highest energy output effect of 187.07 ± 1.5 Wh/day was obtained. The SCO2 pre-treatment was not found to change the pH, FOS/TAC, or the anaerobic bacterial community composition. Instead, these variables were mainly affected by the OLR. Our study shows that MSS pre-treatment with SCO2 at a SCO2/MSS ratio of 0.3 (by volume) significantly improves AD performance in terms of methane production and feedstock mineralization. The pre-treatment was found to have no negative effect on the long-term continuous operation of the reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulations in force urge for thermal pre-treatment of post-slaughter waste prior to its anaerobic digestion. Increased interest in biomethane as a fuel in gas networks or vehicles of road transport forces the need to look for heating methods that are alternative to heat recovery from cogeneration. The goal of this study was to determine the synergistic effect of simultaneous ultrasound heating and disintegration on the technological efficiency and energetic balance of the anaerobic digestion of high-load slaughter poultry wastewater. The highest efficiency of anaerobic digestion was obtained for the ultrasound thermal pre-treatment (60 min, 90 °C, OLR = 2.0 gCOD/dm3). In this experimental variant, the biogas production rate reached 9.0 ± 0.2 cm3/gCOD·h, biogas yield was 492 ± 10 cm3/gCOD, and the biogas produced contained 69.8 ± 1.4% CH4. Given the incurred energy outputs, the highest net energetic efficiencies, i.e., 5.92 ± 0.43 Wh and 5.80 ± 0.42 Wh, were obtained in the variants with the conventional thermal pre-treatment (60 min, 70 °C, OLR = 6.0 gCOD/dm3) and ultrasound thermal pre-treatment (60 min, 70 °C, OLR = 6.0 gCOD/dm3), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate management is necessary to mitigate the environmental impacts of wastewater sludge. One lesser-known technology concerns the use of solidified CO2 for dewatering, sanitization, and digestion improvement. Solidified CO2 is a normal byproduct of natural gas treatment processes and can also be produced by dedicated biogas upgrading technologies. The way solidified CO2 is sourced is fully in line with the principles of the circular economy and carbon dioxide mitigation. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the production and application of solid CO2 in the pretreatment and management of sewage sludge. Using solidified CO2 for sludge conditioning causes effective lysis of microbial cells, which destroys activated sludge flocs, promotes biomass fragmentation, facilitates efficient dispersion of molecular associations, modifies cell morphology, and denatures macromolecules. Solidified CO2 can be used as an attractive tool to sanitize and dewater sludge and as a pretreatment technology to improve methane digestion and fermentative hydrogen production. Furthermore, it can also be incorporated into a closed CO2 cycle of biogas production–biogas upgrading–solidified CO2 production–sludge disintegration–digestion–biogas production. This feature not only bolsters the technology's capacity to improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of digestion processes, but can also help reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions, a crucial advantage in terms of environment protection. This new approach to solidified CO2 generation and application largely counteracts previous limitations, which are mainly related to the low cost-effectiveness of the production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing concentration of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere is causing a global environmental crisis, forcing significant reductions in emissions. Among the existing CO2 capture technologies, microalgae-guided sequestration is seen as one of the more promising and sustainable solutions. The present review article compares CO2 emissions in the EU with other global economies, and outlines EU's climate policy together with current and proposed EU climate regulations. Furthermore, it summarizes the current state of knowledge on controlled microalgal cultures, indicates the importance of CO2 phycoremediation methods, and assesses the importance of microalgae-based systems for long-term storage and utilization of CO2. It also outlines how far microalgae technologies within the EU have developed on the quantitative and technological levels, together with prospects for future development. The literature overview has shown that large-scale take-up of technological solutions for the production and use of microalgal biomass is hampered by economic, technological, and legal barriers. Unsuitable climate conditions are an additional impediment, forcing operators to implement technologies that maintain appropriate temperature and lighting conditions in photobioreactors, considerably driving up the associated investment and operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid fraction from the dewatering of digested sewage sludge (LF-DSS) represents a major processing complication for wastewater treatment facilities, thus necessitating new and effective methods of LF-DSS neutralization. This pilot-scale study examined the evolution of a Chlorella sp. monoculture into microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (M-BGS) during treatment of LF-DSS in a hybrid photo-bioreactor (H-PBR). The M-BGS reached a stable taxonomic and morphological structure after 60 days of H-PBR operation. The biomass was primarily composed of Chlorella sp., Microthrix parvicella, and type 1851 and 1701 filamentous bacteria. A greater abundance of bacteria led to a faster-growing M-BGS biomass (to a level of 4800 ± 503 mgTS/dm3), as well as improved TOC and COD removal from the LF-DSS (88.2 ± 7.2% and 84.1 ± 5.1%). The efficiency of N/P removal was comparable, since regardless of the composition and concentration of biomass, it ranged from 68.9 ± 3.1% to 71.3 ± 3.1% for N and from 54.2 ± 4.1% to 56, 2 ± 4.6% for P. As the M-BGS taxonomic structure evolved and the C/N ratio improved, so did the anaerobic digestion (AD) performance. Biogas yield from the M-BGS peaked at 531 ± 38 cm3/gVS (methane fraction = 66.2 ± 2.7%). It was found that final effects of AD were also strongly correlated with the N and TOC content in the substrate and pH value. A mature M-BGS significantly improved settleability and separability through filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical toilets are becoming more and more common. Large volumes of chemical toilet sewage (CTS) are generated in popular tourist destinations, where waste conveyance and treatment systems are not an option, which necessitates new methods for neutralizing such waste. Anaerobic digestion is, potentially, one such solution. The aim of the present study was to test the treatability of chemical toilet sewage (CTS) co-fermented with maize silage biomass using anaerobic digestion (AD). It was found that CTS does not impair AD, as long as the fluid used to dilute the feedstock does not contain more than 30% CTS. Biogas yield reached 400 cm3/gVS, and the biogas produced contained 57 ± 2.6% CH4 methane. Higher doses of CTS inhibited anaerobic digestion. This inhibition was directly linked to CTS toxicity, which reduced methanogen populations. This, in turn, slowed down VFA-to-biogas conversion, triggered VFA accumulation, and ultimately increased FOS/TAC and decreased pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic wastewater treatment is still a dynamically developing technology ensuring the effective degradation of organic compounds and biogas production. As evidenced in the large scale-up, this technological solution surpasses aerobic methods in many aspects. Its advantages stem from the feasibility of operation at a high organic load rate, the smaller production of difficult-to-manage sewage sludge, the smaller space and cubature required, and the high-methane biogas ultimately produced. The exploitation of anaerobic reactors is in line with the assumption of a circular economy, material recycling by reduced CO2 emissions and energy consumption, and the production of renewable energy. Despite their unquestionable advantages, there is still a need to seek novel approaches and improve the currently exploited installations. The key avenues of research entail improvements in the stability of bioreactor operations and the enhancement of bioreactor adaptability to changing and unfavorable process parameters. The versatility of such systems would also be greatly improved by increasing nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates. Attempts have been made to achieve these goals by setting up separate zones within bioreactors for the individual steps of methane fermentation, incorporating active fillings to promote nutrient removal, and introducing chemical and physical treatments. An interesting solution is also the use of microwave radiation to stimulate temperature conditions and induce non-thermal phenomena, such as enhancing the enzymatic activity of methanogenic microflora. Another prospective approach is to integrate digesters into microalgal biomass production systems. The aim of this review paper is to present the thus-far technological knowledge about anaerobic wastewater treatment, including standard solutions and innovative ones, the effectiveness of which has been corroborated in pilot-scale installations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have brought significant evolution and changes in wastewater treatment systems. New solutions are sought to improve treatment efficiency, reduce investment/operational costs, and comply with the principles of circular economy and zero waste. Microbial granules can serve as an alternative to conventional technologies. Indeed, there has been fast-growing interest in methods harnessing aerobic (AGS) and anaerobic (AnGS) granular sludge as well as microbial-bacterial granules (MBGS), as evidenced by the number of studies on the subject and commercial installations developed. The present paper identifies the strengths and weaknesses of wastewater treatment systems based on granular sludge (GS) and their potential for energy production, with a particular focus on establishing the R&D activities required for further advance of these technologies. In particular, the impact of granules on bioenergy conversion, including bio-oil recovery efficiency and biomethane/biohydrogen yields, and bioelectrochemical systems must be assessed and optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae are considered to be very promising feedstocks for biomethane production. It has been shown that the structure of microalgal cell walls can be highly detrimental to the anaerobic digestibility of biomass. Therefore, there is a real need to seek ways to eliminate this problem. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of ultrasonic disintegration of Scenedesmus sp. and Pinnularia sp. microalgal biomass on the performance and energy efficiency of anaerobic digestion. The pretreatment was successful in significantly increasing dissolved COD and TOC in the system. The highest CH4 yields were noted for Scenedesmus sp. sonicated for 150 s and 200 s, which produced 309 ± 13 cm3/gVS and 313 ± 15 cm3/gVS, respectively. The 50 s group performed the best in terms of net energy efficiency at 1.909 ± 0.20 Wh/gVS. Considerably poorer performance was noted for Pinnularia sp., with biomass yields and net energy gains peaking at CH4 250 ± 21 cm3/gVS and 0.943 ± 0.22 Wh/gVS, respectively. Notably, the latter value was inferior to even the non-pretreated biomass (which generated 1.394 ± 0.19 Wh/gVS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production and consumption of confectionery products have increased worldwide, thus, effective management of wastewater produced is now an important issue. The confectionery high-load sewage was explored for biogas production in an innovative-design anaerobic reactor with labyrinth flow. The experimental studies were focused on determining the best technological parameters of anaerobic digestion for the effective removal of pollutants and obtaining high CH4 production efficiency. It was found that organic loading rate (OLR) of 5.0–6.0 g COD/L·d contributed to the highest CH4 generation of 94.7 ± 6.1 to 97.1 ± 5.1 L CH4/d, which corresponded to a high COD removal of 75.4 ± 1.5 to 75.0 ± 0.6%. Under such conditions the FOS/TAC ratio was below 0.4, indicating reactor stability, and pH was on the level of 7.15 ± 0.04 at OLR 5.0 g COD/L·d and 7.04 ± 0.07 at OLR 6.0 g COD/L·d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgal biomass can be used to derive many different types of biofuels. In order to widely commercialize this technology, its limitations and weaknesses must be eliminated. Many technical and economic issues also need to be clarified and unknowns answered. Microalgae-based technologies have been shown to be versatile, efficient and suitable for practical and commercial use. However, the current technological readiness level (TRL) of most microalgae-based bioenergy production systems precludes their quick and widespread implementation. Their development is limited by a combination of factors that must be precisely identified, after which their negative impact on scale-up prospects can be eliminated or minimized. The present study identifies the main barriers to the development of industrial microalgae-production and microalgae-to-biofuel systems. In addition, it proposes measures and efforts necessary to achieve a higher TRL, which will provide investors with sought-after performance and cost-efficiency data for the given project. The main barriers to the development of microalgae cultivation and processing systems have been identified to include: the complex nature of the cultivation process with multiple variables involved; lack of sufficient data from pilot-scale and near-full-scale plants, which often precludes reliable life cycle assessment (LCA); and insufficient legal assistance, advisory assistance, subsidies and funding for innovative projects. Potential ways of improving performance and competitiveness of microalgae-based systems include: process optimization techniques, genetic engineering, yield improvement through advanced process control and monitoring, use of waste as feedstock and dedicated support programs. The presented summary of the current stage of microalgal biofuel production technology development indicates the directions for further research and implementation work, which are necessary for the final verification of the application potential of these solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth in dairy production leads to increasing outputs of high-load effluent, necessitating new methods of treating such waste. Anaerobic processes have been increasingly popular but are hamstrung by limited nutrient removal efficiency. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether low-cost recycled filling (LCRF) improves the anaerobic treatment of dairy effluent. The addition of LCRF was found to increase both COD removal (86.1 ± 2.6%–92.8 ± 1.6%) and Ptot. removal (22.1 ± 3.5% to 36.9 ± 4.6%) from the wastewater. The LCRF ensured near-neutral pH and stabilized the structure of the anaerobic microbe community (including Archaea) across all pollutant loads tested. This translated to efficient biogas production and high methane content in the LCRF reactors, peaking at 0.35 ± 0.01 m3/kg CODremoved and 68.2 ± 0.6% (respectively) in the best-performing variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal facilities can generate odors caused by substances such as fatty acids, organosulfur compounds, aldehydes, and inorganic gases, especially H2S. Identifying an effective and cost-efficient solution to the problem is a priority for communities in areas at risk of exposure to odors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) involving Fenton's reagents (Fe2+/H2O2, Fe3+/H2O2) on wastewater profiles and their capacity to reduce putrescibility, H2S emissions, and odor concentration in the air. The Fe2+/H2O2 system proved to be the most efficient in terms of inhibiting the process of redox conditions development, removing organic matter in the wastewater, inhibiting H2S formation, and reducing odor emissions. H2S generation in raw wastewater was triggered as early as on day 2 of anaerobic retention, with levels of 5.6 ppm to 64 ppm. After introduction of 0.1 g Fe2+/dm3 and 2.0 g H2O2/dm3, no H2S was detected in the gas for 8 days. The odor concentration (OC) of raw wastewater (2980 ± 110 oue/m3) was reduced by 96.3 ± 1.9% to a level of 100 ± 15 oue/m3. The Fe2+/H2O2 system maintained its oxidizing capacity up until day 7, with OC reduction by 96.0 ± 0.8% to a level of 120 ± 10 oue/m3. On day 10, the OC showed a marked increase to a level 1310 ± 140 oue/m3. The conducted research has proven that Fenton-based AOP systems are a technologically and commercially viable method of deodorization of sewage facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of wastewater treatment systems, including competitive methods for nitrogen and phosphorus removal, is focused on intensifying final technological effects with due care taken for economic and environmental concerns. Given the possibility of integrating wastewater treatment processes with biofuel production, the prospective seems to be technologies harnessing microalgal biomass. The present study aimed to verify the feasibility of applying T. subcordiformis genus microalgae as the third stage of the dairy wastewater treatment process and to determine microalgae biomass production effectiveness and hydrogen yield in the biophotolysis process. The study proved that microalgae cultivation with dairy wastewater was nearly 35% less effective compared to that with a chemically pure medium. Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds contaminating wastewater were found to represent an available source of nutrients for T. subcordiformis population. The volume of hydrogen produced ranged from 116 ± 7 cm3 to 162 ± 7 cm3, and the percentage of H2 content in the biogas ranged from 55.4 ± 2.2% to 57.2 ± 4.1%. A significantly higher hydrogen yield per initial biomass concentration, reaching 69 ± 4.2 cm3/go.d.m., was determined in the variant with wastewater accounting for 50% of the culture medium. The respective value noted in the control respirometer was 54 ± 2.1 cm3/go.d.m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H2 is a low-impact energy carrier, which the EU hydrogen strategy has positioned as a major component of energy policy. Dark fermentation by psychrophilic bacteria is a promising avenue of H2 production, though one that requires further study. The aim of this study was to determine the H2 production performance of a Bacteroides vulgatus strain during fermentation of psychrophilic cattle slurry. The test strain was isolated from an inland water body at a depth of 40 ± 5 m. The experimental fermentation process was run at 15 ± 1 °C and yielded 265.5 ± 31.2 cm3 biogas/g COD removed, including 46.9 ± 2.6 cm3 H2/g COD removed. CO2 was the main constituent of the resultant biogas, at 79.8 ± 1.9%. The gas also contained 17.6 ± 1.4% H2 and 2.3 ± 0.2% CH4. Organic matter removal and nutrient take-up from the feedstock were low. Our findings show that practical applicability of this process is hampered by multiple operational hurdles and its relatively poor performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though many wastewater treatment systems have been applied so far, there is still a need to develop methods, the implementation of which are technologically and economically justified. The aerobic granular sludge (AGS) method, which has been developed for several years, may represent an alternative to traditional technologies. One of the barriers to AGS deployment is the limited knowledge on the determinants and efficiency of the anaerobic digestion (AD) of AGS, as little research has been devoted to it. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the subject, including a review of technological conditions, process performance, and AGS parameters that can impact AD, and currently used pre-treatment methods. The anaerobic stabilization performance of AGS is compared against conventional activated sludge (CAS). The paper also identifies avenues for further research and practical implementations to further optimize the process and to determine whether AD is viable in full-scale plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a sustainable bioenergy market is currently largely fueled by energy crops, whose ever-increasing production competes with the global food and feed supply. Consequently, non-food crops need to be considered as alternatives for energy biomass production. Such alternatives include microalgal biomass, as well as energy crops grown on non-agricultural land. The aim of the present study was to evaluate how co-digestion of microalgal biomass with giant miscanthus silage affects feedstock properties, the biogas production process, biogas yields, methane fractions and the digestate profile. Combining giant miscanthus silage with microbial biomass was found to produce better C/N ratios than using either substrate alone. The highest biogas and methane production rates—628.00 ± 20.05 cm3/gVS and 3045.56 ± 274.06 cm3 CH4/d—were obtained with 40% microalgae in the feedstock. In all variants, the bulk of the microbial community consisted of bacteria (EUB338) and archaea (ARC915). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae-based technologies have huge potential for application in the environment sector and the bio-energy industry. However, their cost-efficiency has to be improved by drawing on design and operation data for large-scale installations. This paper presents a technical concept of an installation for large-scale microalgae culture on digestate liquor, and the results of a pilot-scale study to test its performance. The quality of non-treated digestate has been shown to be insufficient for direct use as a growth medium due to excess suspended solids, turbidity, and organic matter content, which need to be reduced. To that end, this paper proposes a system based on mechanical separation, flotation, and pre-treatment on a biofilter. The culture medium fed into photobioreactors had the following parameters after the processing: COD—340 mgO2/dm3, BOD5—100 mgO2/dm3, TN—900 mg/dm3, and TP—70 mg/dm3. The installation can produce approx. 720 kgVS/day of microalgal biomass. A membrane unit and a thickening centrifuge (thickener) were incorporated into the design to separate and dehydrate the microalgal biomass, respectively. The total energy consumption approximated 1870 kWh/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological processes run by microalgae are prospective but still little known methods of hydrogen production. A prerequisite for their increased advancement is the development of economically viable and efficient technologies. The study presented in this manuscript focused on determining the efficiency of biohydrogen production by P. subcordiformis using a culture medium prepared based on natural waters. The rate of P. subcordiformis biomass growth reached 317.6 ± 42.3 mgODM/dm3·d and ensured a biomass concentration of 3493 ± 465 mgODM/dm3. The percentage concentration of hydrogen in the biogas reached 63.2 ± 1.4%, and its production rate ranged from 0.53 ± 0.05 cm3/h to 0.70 ± 0.01 cm3/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production by Schizochytrium sp. biomass fed with waste glycerol depending on the concentration of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the culture medium and medium aeration effectiveness. The microalgae from the genus Schizochytrium sp. were proved to be capable of producing EPS composed of glucose, galactose, mannose, fucose, and xylose. The highest EPS concentration, reaching 8.73 ± 0.09 g/dm3, was determined at the stationary growth phase. A high EPS concentration caused culture medium viscosity to increase, contributing to diminished oxygen availability for cells, lower culture effectiveness, and reduced waste glycerol conversion to DHA. The Schizochytrium sp. culture variant found optimal in terms of the obtained technological effects and operating costs was performed at the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient of kLa = 600 1/h, which enabled obtaining dry cell weight (DCW) of 147.89 ± 4.77 g/dm3, lipid concentration of 69.44 ± 0.76 g/dm3, and DHA concentration in the biomass reaching 29.44 ± 0.36 g/dm3. The effectiveness of waste glycerol consumption in this variant reached 3.76 ± 0.31 g/dm3·h and 3.16 ± 0.22 g/gDCW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to determine how thermal stimulation via electromagnetic microwave radiation impacts the yields of biogas and methane produced by methane fermentation of five selected energy crop species in anaerobic reactors. The resultant performance was compared with that of reactors with conventional temperature control. The highest biogas production capacity was achieved for maize silage and Virginia mallow silage (i.e., 680 ± 28 dm3N/kgVS and 506 ± 16 dm3N/kgVS, respectively). Microwave radiation as a method of heating anaerobic reactors provided a statistically-significantly boost in methane production from maize silage (18% increase). Biomethane production from maize silage rose from 361 ± 12 dm3N/kgVS to 426 ± 14 dm3N/kgVS. In the other experimental variants, the differences between methane concentrations in the biogas were non-significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly biofuel which, if widely used, could reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. The main barrier to the widespread use of hydrogen for power generation is the lack of technologically feasible and—more importantly—cost-effective methods of production and storage. So far, hydrogen has been produced using thermochemical methods (such as gasification, pyrolysis or water electrolysis) and biological methods (most of which involve anaerobic digestion and photofermentation), with conventional fuels, waste or dedicated crop biomass used as a feedstock. Microalgae possess very high photosynthetic efficiency, can rapidly build biomass, and possess other beneficial properties, which is why they are considered to be one of the strongest contenders among biohydrogen production technologies. This review gives an account of present knowledge on microalgal hydrogen production and compares it with the other available biofuel production technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whey is a primary by-product of dairy plants, and one that is often difficult to manage. As whey processing units are costly and complicated, only 15–20% of whey is recycled for use in the food industry. The difficulties in managing waste whey are particularly pronounced for small, local dairy plants. One possible solution to this problem is to use advanced and efficient digesters. The aim of this study was to present an innovative multi-section hybrid anaerobic bioreactor (M-SHAR) design and to identify how microwave radiation heating (MRH) affects methane fermentation of liquid dairy waste (LDW) primarily composed of acid whey. The MRH reactor was found to perform better in terms of COD removal and biogas production compared with the convection-heated reactor. The heating method had a significant differentiating effect at higher organic load rates (OLRs). With OLRs ranging from 15 to 25 kgCOD∙m−3∙d−1, the M-SHAR with MRH ensured a 5% higher COD removal efficiency and 12–20% higher biogas yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major contributor to the global emissions of greenhouse gases, which necessitates the search for its fixation and utilization methods. Engaging photosynthesizing microorganisms for its biosequestration is one of the prospective technologies applied to this end. Considering the paucity of literature works on the possibilities of deploying CO2 from biogas combustion to intensify microalgae production, this research aimed to identify the feasibility of using this type of CO2 in Chlorella vulgaris culture by evaluating biomass production yield and CO2 biosequestration effectiveness., Methods: The experiment was performed in glass PBR, in which the culture medium occupied the volume of 1.0 dm3, and the gaseous phase occupied 0.3 dm3. The reactors were continuously illuminated by fluorescent lamps. The temperature of flue gases and air fed to reactors, and culture temperature was 20 °C ± 2 °C., Results: The use of flue gases promoted a more rapid biomass growth, reaching 77.8 ± 3.1 mgVS/dm3⋅d, and produced a higher microalgae concentration, i.e., 780 ± 58 mgVS/dm3. Nevertheless, the flue gas-fed culture turned out to be highly sensitive, which was manifested in a decreased culture medium pH and relatively quickly achieved decay phase of the C. vulgaris population. The microalgae effectively assimilated CO2, reducing its concentration from 13 ± 1% to 1 ± 0.5% in the effluent from the photobioreactor., Conclusions: The flue gases were found not to affect the qualitative composition of the microalgal biomass. However, strict control and monitoring of microalgae biomass production is necessary, as well as rapid responses in flue gas-fed systems. This is an important hint for potential operators of such technological systems on the large scale. Regardless of the possibility of deploying microalgae to fix and utilize CO2, a justified avenue of research is to look for cheap sources of CO2-rich gases., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Sewage sludge is successfully used in anaerobic digestion (AD). Although AD is a well-known, universal and widely recognized technology, there are factors that limit its widespread use, such as the presence of substances that are resistant to biodegradation, inhibit the fermentation process or are toxic to anaerobic microorganisms. Sewage sludge generated by the pharmaceutical sector is one such substance. Pharmaceutical sewage sludge (PSS) is characterized by high concentrations of biocides, including antibiotics and other compounds that have a negative effect on the anaerobic environment. The aim of the present research was to determine the feasibility of applying Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) harnessing Fenton's (Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 ) and Fenton-like (Fe 3+ /H 2 O 2 ) reaction to PSS pre-treatment prior to AD. The method was analyzed in terms of its impact on limiting PSS toxicity and improving methane fermentation. The use of AOP led to a significant reduction of PSS toxicity from 53.3 ± 5.1% to 35.7 ± 3.2%, which had a direct impact on the taxonomic structure of anaerobic bacteria, and thus influenced biogas production efficiency and methane content. Correlations were found between PSS toxicity and the presence of Archaea and biogas yields in the Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 group. CH 4 production ranged from 363.2 ± 11.9 cm 3 CH 4 /g VS in the control PSS to approximately 450 cm 3 /g VS. This was 445.7 ± 21.6 cm 3 CH 4 /g VS (1.5 g Fe 2+ /dm 3 and 6.0 g H 2 O 2 /dm 3 ) and 453.6 ± 22.4 cm 3 CH 4 /g VS (2.0 g Fe 2+ /dm 3 and 8.0 g H 2 O 2 /dm 3 ). The differences between these variants were not statistically significant. Therefore, due to the economical use of chemical reagents, the optimal tested dose was 1.5 g Fe 2+ /6.0 g H 2 O 2 . The use of a Fenton-like reagent (Fe 3+ /H 2 O 2 ) resulted in lower AD efficiency (max. 393.7 ± 12.1 cm 3 CH 4 /g VS), and no strong linear relationships between the analyzed variables were found. It is, therefore, a more difficult method to estimate the final effects. Research has proven that AOP can be used to improve the efficiency of AD of PSS.

Microalgae are considered to be very promising feedstocks for biomethane production. It has been shown that the structure of microalgal cell walls can be highly detrimental to the anaerobic digestibility of biomass. Therefore, there is a real need to seek ways to eliminate this problem. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of ultrasonic disintegration of Scenedesmus sp. and Pinnularia sp. microalgal biomass on the performance and energy efficiency of anaerobic digestion. The pretreatment was successful in significantly increasing dissolved COD and TOC in the system. The highest CH 4 yields were noted for Scenedesmus sp. sonicated for 150 s and 200 s, which produced 309 ± 13 cm 3 /gVS and 313 ± 15 cm 3 /gVS, respectively. The 50 s group performed the best in terms of net energy efficiency at 1.909 ± 0.20 Wh/gVS. Considerably poorer performance was noted for Pinnularia sp., with biomass yields and net energy gains peaking at CH 4 250 ± 21 cm 3 /gVS and 0.943 ± 0.22 Wh/gVS, respectively. Notably, the latter value was inferior to even the non-pretreated biomass (which generated 1.394 ± 0.19 Wh/gVS).

A commonly indicated drawback of anaerobic wastewater treatment is the low effectiveness of phosphorus removal. One possibility to eliminate this disadvantage is the implementation of active fillings that contain admixtures of metals, minerals, or other elements contributing to wastewater treatment intensification. The aim of the research was to present an active filling produced via microcellular extrusion technology, and to determine its properties and performance in anaerobic wastewater treatment. The influence of copper and iron admixtures on the properties of the obtained porous extrudate in terms of its functional properties was also examined. The Barus effect increased with the highest content of the blowing agent in the material from 110 ± 12 to 134 ± 14. The addition of metal powders caused an increase in the extrudate density. The modification of PVC resulted in the highest porosity, amounting to 47.0% ± 3.2%, and caused the tensile strength to decrease by about 50%. The determined values ranged from 211.8 ± 18.3 MPa to 97.1 ± 10.0 MPa. The use of the filling in anaerobic rectors promoted COD removal, intensified biogas production, and eliminated phosphorus with an efficiency of 64.4% to 90.7%, depending on the type of wastewater and applied technological parameters.