Anaerobic batch conversion of pine wood torrefaction condensate

Abstract Organic compound rich torrefaction condensate, owing to their high water content and acidic nature, have yet to be exploited for practical application. In this study, microbial conversion of torrefaction condensate from pine wood through anaerobic batch digestion (AD) to produce methane was evaluated. Torrefaction condensate exhibited high methane potentials in the range of 430–492 mL/g volatile solids (VS) and 430–460 mL/g VS under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, respectively. Owing to the changes in the composition, the methane yields differed with the torrefaction condensates produced at different temperatures (225, 275 and 300 °C), with a maximum of 492 ± 18 mL/g VS with the condensate produced at 300 °C under mesophilic condition. The cyclic batch AD experiments showed that 0.1 VS substrate :VS inoculum is optimum, whereas the higher substrate loading (0.2–0.5) resulted in a reversible inhibition of the methane production. The results suggest that torrefaction condensate could be practically valorized through AD.