Waste activated sludge (WAS) and food waste (FW) are available year round at low cost and have the potential to promote synergism in anaerobic digestion (AD). The goal of this study was to clarify the synergism in co-digestion of WAS and FW. A slight amount of FW at various ratios was added to WAS as an auxiliary substrate, and anaerobic batch tests were performed under mesophilic conditions. By adding FW, total CH₄ produced was increased, where most of them were come from WAS, clearly suggesting synergism. Also, lag period was shortened and CH₄ production rate was increased by FW addition. It was hypothesized that enhanced performance was owing to the facilitated hydrolysis of WAS by FW addition, which was revealed by the increased activities of hydrolytic α-amylase and protease.

• Yeo-Myeong Yun(Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, KAIST)
• Hang-Sik Shin(Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, KAIST)
• Dong-Hoon Kim(Clean Fuel Department, Korea Institute of Energy Research)