The role of biodegradable plastics in lignite anaerobic digestion: Changes of organics transformation and metabolic pathway

Abstract

Biodegradable plastics (BPs) and lignite, both rich in organic matter, present significant challenges for efficient conversion into clean energy. This study examined the anaerobic co-digestion of BPs and lignite under controlled laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the co-digestion of polylactic acid (PLA) and lignite (at a 1:2 mass ratio, with 5 g PLA and 10 g lignite as the model system) rapidly acclimated to the anaerobic environment, enhancing cumulative biogas production by 57 % compared to the mono-digestion of lignite alone. Synergistic fermentation significantly increased the production of organic small molecules while effectively degrading recalcitrant substances, including hydroxyl, aromatic, and methylene groups. Euryarchaeota emerged as the dominant phylum, with its abundance increasing by 118.4 %. Gene abundance for the carbon dioxide-to-methane conversion pathway increased by 60.1 %, confirming it as the primary methane metabolic pathway. These findings provide a novel method for the conversion and utilization of BPs and lignite.