Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

In this era of dwindling water and energy resources and soaring global energy demand, the need for alternative energy sources is persistent. Meanwhile water pollution is increasing rapidly due to industrialization. This proposal addresses two of today's most pressing problems:soaring energy demand and deteriorating water quality due to pollution. With the shifting paradigm of waste management towards resource recovery, the conversion of organic wastes to green energy such as hydrogen and methane using biological treatment processes offers an economical, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly solution to waste problems. The overall long-term objective of this research program is to develop novel economical energy-producing biological anaerobic waste treatment processes. The research explores various technologies to improve the effectiveness of biorefining organic agricultural wastes, organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (OFMSW), and high strength wastes to generate methane, hydrogen, and eventually electricity. Specific emphasis is placed on enhancing biological hydrogen prodcution from wastes as well as improving the anaerobic digestion efficiency in terms of methane production and solids destruction efficiency, thus not only producing energy but also reducing ultimate disposal costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation of biosolids. Three promising technologies at various stages of development have been developed and this program aims at further advancement and application. The technologies can be used to treat a myriad of agricultural and industrial wastes including thin stillage and cellulosic wastes from bioethanol plants, hog manure, corn syrup wastes, winery wastes, brewery wastes, landfill leachates, OFMSW, and municipal wastewater treatment plants side-streams to stringent environmental standards as well as produce green energy and reduce solids disposal. An innovative fermentation process that can improve bioethanol yields from feedstocks will also be explored. Thus, this research can culminate in the development of several patentable process designs that offer practical, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to waste management problems.