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A Review on the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Livestock Manures in the Context of Sustainable Waste Management

Author

Listed:
  • Rahul Kadam

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

  • Sangyeol Jo

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

  • Jonghwa Lee

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

  • Kamonwan Khanthong

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

  • Heewon Jang

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

  • Jungyu Park

    (Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

As the worldwide demand for meat per person is continuously increasing, there is a corresponding rise in the number of livestock animals, leading to an increase in livestock manure. Selecting appropriate treatment technologies for livestock manures is still a complex task and considerable debates over this issue persist. To develop a more comprehensive understanding of the manure treatment framework, this review was undertaken to assess the most utilized manure management technologies and underscore their respective challenges. Anaerobic digestion has become a commercial reality for treating livestock manures. However, the mono-digestion of single substrates comes with certain drawbacks associated with manure characteristics. Anaerobic co-digestion, involving the utilization of multiple feedstocks, holds the potential to overcome these limitations. Extensive research and development have underscored numerous intrinsic benefits of co-digestion. These include improved digestibility resulting from the synergistic effects of co-substrates and enhanced process stability. This review underscores the limitations associated with the mono-digestion of livestock manures and critically evaluates the advantages of their co-digestion with carbon-rich substrates. Additionally, this review delves into key livestock manure management practices globally, emphasizing the significance of co-digesting livestock manures while addressing the progress and challenges in this field.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahul Kadam & Sangyeol Jo & Jonghwa Lee & Kamonwan Khanthong & Heewon Jang & Jungyu Park, 2024. "A Review on the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Livestock Manures in the Context of Sustainable Waste Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-27, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:3:p:546-:d:1324510
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Yang, Gaiqiang & Su, Yuxin & Huo, Lijuan & Guo, Dongpeng & Wu, Yusi, 2025. "A multi-objective synergistic optimization model considering the water-energy-food-carbon nexus and bioenergy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    3. Stela Basso Montoro & David Ferreira Lopes Santos & Jorge De Lucas Junior, 2025. "Exploring New Alternative Energy for Sustainable Food Production," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 1923-1947, June.

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