Anaerobic digestion biorefinery for circular bioeconomy development

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the concept of biorefinery based on anaerobic digestion (AD) process that converts various wastes from easily degradable to challenging materials as well as carbon dioxide into many valuable products. Anaerobic digestion produces volatile fatty acids, biohydrogen, biogas, and biosludge. Factors that affect the production process, the reactor system, and the downstream process to obtain the desired product are discussed. Future applications of the AD products and their derivatives as biofuels, biochemicals, biomaterials, and biofertilizer as well as the market size are presented. Implementation of AD biorefinery is potentially accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals, especially in the areas of clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and climate change.