Innovative routes for enhanced methane production using microwave pre-treatment of food waste in anaerobic digestion

Increasing amounts of food waste (FW) are being generated around the globe. The most common disposal route for this FW is landfill, contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), soil and groundwater pollution and undesirable leachates. Recovery of energy from FW (e.g. in combined heat and power systems and methane production) is generally achieved through anaerobic digestion (AD). The consequent increase of AD technology used worldwide has resulted in a significant growth in the amount of digestate produced, increasingly used for soil amendment. Strict land regulations, land shortages and rising disposal costs (including gate fees) requires digestate management to be re-thought. This study addresses strategies to optimise biomethane production from FW under mesophilic anaerobic conditions (MAD).