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Improving Anaerobic Co-Digestion Performance using Granular Activated Carbon for Enhanced Methane Production: A Case Study of Food Waste and Tofu Wastewater

Farida Hanum, Irvan Irvan, Rivaldi Sidabutar, Mhd Reza Kurniawan Lubis, Handerson Simanjuntak, Michael Michael, Thiodorus Marvin Tjandra, Qiyam Maulana Binu Soesanto, Hirotsugu Kamahara

Abstract


The rapid depletion of conventional energy resources and global population growth have intensified the need for sustainable alternative energy sources, with biogas technology emerging as a promising solution. This study investigated co-digestion of food waste (FW) and tofu wastewater (TWW) for methane production and evaluated the effect of granular activated carbon (GAC) on process performance. Among FW:TWW ratios tested (1:2, 1:3, 1:4), the 1:3 mixture achieved the highest performance, with peak daily methane production of 124.04 ± 0.83 mL/gVS, cumulative methane yield of 278.53 ± 1.08 mL/gVS, and COD removal of 77.78 ± 0.31%. Supplementing the 1:3 mixture with 10 g/L GAC further improved methane generation, increasing peak daily methane production by 21.42 ± 0.56%, VS degradation by 6.84 ± 0.40%, and COD removal by 15.56 ± 0.77% relative to the control. Enhanced performance is attributed to improved microbial activity via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and biofilm development on GAC surfaces. SEM confirmed the presence of biofilms on post-digestion GAC. BET analysis indicated mesoporous characteristics suitable for microbial colonization (type IV isotherms with H2-type hysteresis loops), with a specific surface area of 803.2 m2/g, pore volume of 0.583 cc/g, and mean pore diameter of 2.907 nm. These findings demonstrate that GAC-assisted co-digestion can strengthen methane productivity and organic removal, supporting broader advancement of sustainable waste-to-energy strategies.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2026.02.009

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