title: Converting the organic fraction of solid waste from the city of Abu Dhabi to valuable products via dark fermentation--Economic and energy assessment.
abstract: Landfilling the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) leads to greenhouse gas emissions and loss of valuable resources. Sustainable and cost efficient solutions need to be developed to solve this problem. This study evaluates the feasibility of using dark fermentation (DF) to convert the OFMSW to volatile fatty acids (VFAs), fertilizer and H2. The VFAs in the DF effluent can be used directly as substrate for subsequent bioprocesses or purified from the effluent for industrial use. DF of the OFMSW in Abu Dhabi will be economically sustainable once VFA purification can be accomplished on large scale for less than 15USD/m(3)(effluent). With a VFA minimum selling price of 330 USD/tCOD, DF provides a competitive carbon source to sugar. Furthermore, DF is likely to use less energy than conventional processes that produce VFAs, fertilizer and H2. This makes DF of OFMSW a promising waste treatment technology and biorefinery platform.
authors.affiliation: Institute Center for Energy (iEnergy), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: fbonk@masdar.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonk
authors.affiliation: Institute Center for Energy (iEnergy), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: jbastidas@masdar.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Juan-Rodrigo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bastidas-Oyanedel
authors.affiliation: Institute Center for Energy (iEnergy), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: jschmidt@masdar.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Jens Ejbye
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D056804:Biofuels; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002947:Cities; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry; D005285:Fermentation; D005308:Fertilizers; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D014479:United Arab Emirates
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D002241:Carbohydrates; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005308:Fertilizers; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D062611:Solid Waste; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D008697:Methane
keywords: Dark fermentation; Economic analysis; Organic fraction municipal solid waste; Volatile fatty acid; Waste management