Enzyme-Mediated Enhanced Biogas Yield

Abstract

Enzymes are biocatalysts present in all living cells and have main function to perform the processes of breaking down complex nutrients into simple nutrients for cellular assimilation. Enzymatic catalysis has advantages over chemical catalysis due to high enzymatic specificity and moderate reaction conditions. Of great industrial interest, the enzymes can be applied in increasing the yield of compound production or in the degradation of unwanted by-products and these characteristics make the knowledge of enzymatic catalysis in biogas production extremely relevant, since the traditional method of biogas production is based on the biodegradation of organic matter by anaerobic digestion, which is produced by the action of a variety of microorganisms and enzymes. In the production of biogas, enzyme-mediated degradation may be the key to a higher quality final product, acting in the steps of hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis, and in the identification of by-products of enzymatic catalysis that may inhibit the process. In this context, the present chapter will be addressed: (i) introduction of enzymes in anaerobic biodigestion; (ii) enzymes as a mediator of biogas yield; (iii) inhibition of biogas production and biodegradability.