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. 2025 Jul 26;18(15):3504.
doi: 10.3390/ma18153504.

The Use of Chitosan/Perlite Material for Microbial Support in Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste

Agnieszka A Pilarska  1 , Anna Marzec-Grządziel  2 , Małgorzata Makowska  1 , Alicja Kolasa-Więcek  3 , Ranjitha Jambulingam  4 , Tomasz Kałuża  1 , Krzysztof Pilarski  5
Affiliations

The Use of Chitosan/Perlite Material for Microbial Support in Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste

Agnieszka A Pilarska et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of adding a chitosan/perlite (Ch/P) carrier to anaerobic digestion (AD) on the efficiency and kinetics of the process, as well as the directional changes in the bacterial microbiome. A carrier with this composition was applied in the AD process for the first time. A laboratory experiment using wafer waste (WF) and cheese (CE) waste was conducted under mesophilic conditions. The analysis of physico-chemical properties confirmed the suitability of the tested carrier material for anaerobic digestion. Both components influenced the microstructural characteristics of the carrier: perlite contributed to the development of specific surface area, while chitosan determined the porosity of the system. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), the study examined how the additive affected the genetic diversity of bacterial communities. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the degradation rate depended on both the carrier and the substrate type. Consequently, the presence of the carrier led to an increase in the volume of biogas and methane produced. The volume of methane for the wafer waste (WF-control) increased from 351.72 m3 Mg-1 (VS) to 410.74 m3 Mg-1 (VS), while for the cosubstrate sample (wafer and cheese, WFC-control), it increased from 476.84 m3 Mg-1 (VS) to 588.55 m3 Mg-1 (VS).

Keywords: FTIR; NGS; anaerobic digestion; chitosan/perlite system; food waste; physico-chemical properties; process efficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Microbial carrier consisting of a Ch/P (3:1) system.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The anaerobic bioreactor (with a 12-chamber section) used to produce biogas in the experiment: 1—temperature-controlled water reservoir; 2—circulation pump; 3—thermally insulated tubing; 4—external water jacket maintained at 39 °C; 5—anaerobic reactor vessel (1.4 L); 6—valve for digestate collection; 7—gas outlet conduit; 8—calibrated gas collection cylinder; 9—port for gas sampling (adapted from [27]).
Figure 3
Figure 3
SEM images of chitosan (a–c); perlite (d–f); and chitosan/perlite (g–i) at various magnifications.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms (a) and corresponding pore size distribution profiles (b) for chitosan, perlite, and the chitosan/perlite samples.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms (a) and corresponding pore size distribution profiles (b) for chitosan, perlite, and the chitosan/perlite samples.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structural formula of (a) chitosan and (b) perlite (authors’ scheme).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Chemical distributions of elements SEM–EDS of chitosan (a), perlite (b), and chitosan/perlite (c) samples.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Chemical distributions of elements SEM–EDS of chitosan (a), perlite (b), and chitosan/perlite (c) samples.
Figure 7
Figure 7
FTIR analysis of the chitosan, perlite, and chitosan/perlite samples.
Figure 8
Figure 8
DSC thermograms of chitosan (a), perlite (b) and chitosan/perlite (c) samples.
Figure 8
Figure 8
DSC thermograms of chitosan (a), perlite (b) and chitosan/perlite (c) samples.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Phylum-level taxonomic composition revealed by 16S rRNA gene analysis.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Genus taxa composition revealed by the metataxonomic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Temporal variations in volatile solids content during the anaerobic digestion process.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Rate of changes in the content of volatile solids in samples collected during anaerobic digestion.
Figure 13
Figure 13
FTIR spectra of samples collected during anaerobic digestion from batches: (a) WF–control, (b) WF–Ch/P, (c) WFC–control, (d) WFC–Ch/P.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Cumulative (a) biogas and (b) methane production curves normalised to the volatile solids (VS) content of the tested samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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