Biowaste poses a significant environmental and public health challenge, with improper management leading to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. While anaerobic digestion (AD) offers a sustainable solution by converting waste into biogas, conventional systems face limitations in efficiency and pathogen removal.

We propose a novel two-stage system that integrates an ethanol-enriched intermediate stage with the addition of conductive biochar. Our previous research indicates that this synergy stimulates electro-active bacteria, enhances syntrophic methanogenesis, and is hypothesized to significantly improve pathogen deactivation. The project will elucidate the underlying microbial, metabolic, and genetic mechanisms driving these improvements using advanced meta-omics tools.

We will demonstrate how this integrated system is engineered to boost biogas yield, enhance waste removal efficiency by 30%, and increase pathogen deactivation by 50%. Furthermore, kinetic modelling, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA) will be included to validate the system's economic viability and reduced environmental footprint, positioning it as a cornerstone for a circular economy in biowaste management.