Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm
Developing a green and sustainable method to upgrade biogas wastes into high value-added products is attracting more and more public attention. The application of solid residues as a performance enhancer in the manufacture of biofilms is a prospective way to replace conventional plastic based on fos...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/832 |
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| author | Nan Zhao Huawei Mou Yuguang Zhou Xinxin Ju Shoujun Yang Shan Liu Renjie Dong |
| author_facet | Nan Zhao Huawei Mou Yuguang Zhou Xinxin Ju Shoujun Yang Shan Liu Renjie Dong |
| author_sort | Nan Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Developing a green and sustainable method to upgrade biogas wastes into high value-added products is attracting more and more public attention. The application of solid residues as a performance enhancer in the manufacture of biofilms is a prospective way to replace conventional plastic based on fossil fuel. In this work, solid digestates from the anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes, such as straw, cattle and chicken manures, were pretreated by an ultrasonic thermo-alkaline treatment to remove the nonfunctional compositions and then incorporated in plasticized starch paste to prepare mulching biofilms by the solution casting method. The results indicated that solid digestate particles dispersed homogenously in the starch matrix and gradually aggregated under the action of a hydrogen bond, leading to a transformation of the composites to a high crystalline structure. Consequently, the composite biofilm showed a higher tensile strength, elastic modulus, glass transition temperature and degradation temperature compared to the pure starch-based film. The light, water and GHG (greenhouse gas) barrier properties of the biofilm were also reinforced by the addition of solid digestates, performing well in sustaining the soil quality and minimizing N<sub>2</sub>O or CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. As such, recycling solid digestates into a biodegradable plastic substitute not only creates a new business opportunity by producing high-performance biofilms but also reduces the environmental risk caused by biogas waste and plastics pollution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:30:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e18ac6140a3e41d0abd7720d0ba5b08a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:30:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-e18ac6140a3e41d0abd7720d0ba5b08a2023-12-03T12:33:24ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-02-0126483210.3390/molecules26040832Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching BiofilmNan Zhao0Huawei Mou1Yuguang Zhou2Xinxin Ju3Shoujun Yang4Shan Liu5Renjie Dong6Bioenergy and Environment Science & Technology Laboratory, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaBioenergy and Environment Science & Technology Laboratory, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaPrataculture Machinery and Equipment Research Center, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaShandong Sino-March Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., Yantai 264006, ChinaYantai Institute, China Agricultural University, Yantai 264670, ChinaBioenergy and Environment Science & Technology Laboratory, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaBioenergy and Environment Science & Technology Laboratory, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDeveloping a green and sustainable method to upgrade biogas wastes into high value-added products is attracting more and more public attention. The application of solid residues as a performance enhancer in the manufacture of biofilms is a prospective way to replace conventional plastic based on fossil fuel. In this work, solid digestates from the anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes, such as straw, cattle and chicken manures, were pretreated by an ultrasonic thermo-alkaline treatment to remove the nonfunctional compositions and then incorporated in plasticized starch paste to prepare mulching biofilms by the solution casting method. The results indicated that solid digestate particles dispersed homogenously in the starch matrix and gradually aggregated under the action of a hydrogen bond, leading to a transformation of the composites to a high crystalline structure. Consequently, the composite biofilm showed a higher tensile strength, elastic modulus, glass transition temperature and degradation temperature compared to the pure starch-based film. The light, water and GHG (greenhouse gas) barrier properties of the biofilm were also reinforced by the addition of solid digestates, performing well in sustaining the soil quality and minimizing N<sub>2</sub>O or CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. As such, recycling solid digestates into a biodegradable plastic substitute not only creates a new business opportunity by producing high-performance biofilms but also reduces the environmental risk caused by biogas waste and plastics pollution.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/832bioplasticmulching filmmechanical performancegreenhouse gas emissionwaste recycle |
| spellingShingle | Nan Zhao Huawei Mou Yuguang Zhou Xinxin Ju Shoujun Yang Shan Liu Renjie Dong Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm Molecules bioplastic mulching film mechanical performance greenhouse gas emission waste recycle |
| title | Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm |
| title_full | Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm |
| title_fullStr | Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm |
| title_short | Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm |
| title_sort | upgrading solid digestate from anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste as performance enhancer for starch based mulching biofilm |
| topic | bioplastic mulching film mechanical performance greenhouse gas emission waste recycle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/832 |
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