Lignocellulose biodegradation in the biodrying process of sewage sludge and sawdust

ABSTRACT

Lignocellulose degradation is important when applying biodrying treatment to sewage sludge intended for land use. This study investigated the lignocellulose degradation in the biodrying of sewage sludge and sawdust. The experiment analyzed lignocellulose content, lignocellulase activity, humic substances, and fungal communities. After biodrying, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose degradation rates were 48.4, 38.8, and 45.0%, respectively. Carboxymethyl cellulase, lignin peroxidase, and xylanase played key roles. During the thermophilic phase, more than 80% of the microorganisms in the sample contributing to lignocellulose degradation were Ascomycota. The lignocellulose degradation and a rate of increase in humic acid/fulvic acid of 380% benefit land use of biodrying product.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodrying
• fungal communities
• humic substances
• lignocellulase activity
• lignocellulose degradation
• sewage sludge

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41401538), the Ningbo Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2017A610303), and the China Scholarship Council (Grant No. 201608330125), and it was sponsored by the K. C. Wong Magna Fund at Ningbo University.