Extracellular enzyme activities during regulated hydrolysis of high-solid organic wastes

The hydrolysis process, where the complex insoluble organic materials are hydrolyzed by extracellular enzymes, is a rate-limiting step for anaerobic digestion of high-solid organic solid wastes. Recirculating the leachate from hydrolysis reactor and recycling the effluent from methanogenic reactor to hydrolysis reactor in the two-stage solid–liquid anaerobic digestion process could accelerate degradation of organic solid wastes. To justify the influencing mechanism of recirculation and recycling on hydrolysis, the relationship of hydrolysis to the synthesis and locations of extracellular enzymes was evaluated by regulating the dilution rate of the methanogenic effluent recycle. The results showed that the hydrolysis could be enhanced by increasing the dilution rate, resulting from improved total extracellular enzyme activities. About 15%, 25%, 37%, 56% and 92% of carbon, and about 9%, 18%, 27%, 45% and 80% of nitrogen were converted from the solid phase to the liquid phase at dilution rates of 0.09, 0.25, 0.5, 0.9 and 1.8 d−1, respectively. The hydrolysis of organic wastes was mainly attributable to cell-free enzyme, followed by biofilm-associated enzyme. Increasing the dilution rate afforded cell-free extracellular enzymes with more opportunity to access the surface of organic solid waste, which ensured a faster renewal of niche where extracellular enzymes functioned actively. Meanwhile, the increment of biofilm-associated enzyme was promoted concomitantly, and therefore improved the hydrolysis of organic solid wastes.