A full-scale black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) bioconversion system for domestic biodegradable wastes to resource

Abstract

Domestic biodegradable wastes (DBW) pose a threat to environmental quality and human health. Bioconversion via black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermitia illucens L.) is an expedient way for converting ‘waste to resource’ (insect protein and biofertilizer). Although researches abounded in laboratory-reared experiments and bioconversion mechanisms were pertinent, the void of data from actual and full-scale operation restricts the intensification of BSFL technology and its global adoption. Hence, a full-scale BSFL bioconversion system lasting 4 years in Hangzhou (China) was investigated, and the feasibility and efficiency of 15 tonnes of DBW per day were studied. Through continuous technical optimization, the average production of fresh larvae was increased from 8.5% in 2017 to 15.3% in 2020, along with bioconversion rate of final vermicompost decreased from 35.4% to 14.5%. The total biomass reduction rate in 2020 was 68.7 ± 17.4 kg/(m3 d), equivalent to 0.735 ± 0.215 kg/(kg d) in the form of fresh larvae. Crude fat in fresh larvae accounted for 13.4%, and crude protein accounted for 16.2% in which the determined amino acid profile bore a strong resemblance to fish meal only except histidine and tyrosine. Its economic benefits proved the feasibility of this technology, and the profit reached up to 35.9 US$ per tonne of DBW in 2019. In conclusion, BSFL bioconversion system under current ‘insect-farm’ operation was a promising solution for DBW treatment with value-added waste recycling.

Learning from the past to plan for the future: An historical review of the evolution of waste and resource management 1970–2020 and reflections on priorities 2020–2030 – The perspective of an involved witness

“…MSWM: municipal solid waste management. Boumans et al, 2022); decentralised composting (Ali and Rouse, 2004;Zurbrügg et al, 2004Zurbrügg et al, , 2005Rothenberger et al, 2006); anaerobic digestion to generate gas for cooking as well as a compost product (Gunnerson and Stuckey, 1986;Mueller, 2007;Vögeli et al, 2014); breeding insects such as black soldier flies as a source of protein and fertiliser (Diener et al, 2011;Dortmans et al, 2021;Deng, et al, 2023;ur Rehman et al, 2023); and the production of char as a cooking fuel (Lohri et al, 2016;Zabaleta et al, 2018).…”

“…Organic recycling can be carried out at the household, community or decentralised levels, with considerable advantages over larger, more formal schemes. The many options ( Lenkiewicz and Webster, 2017 ; Lohri et al, 2017 ; Zabaleta et al, 2020 ) include direct use as animal feed ( Scheinberg et al, 2010b ; Boumans et al, 2022 ); decentralised composting ( Ali and Rouse, 2004 ; Zurbrügg et al, 2004 , 2005 ; Rothenberger et al, 2006 ); anaerobic digestion to generate gas for cooking as well as a compost product ( Gunnerson and Stuckey, 1986 ; Mueller, 2007 ; Vögeli et al, 2014 ); breeding insects such as black soldier flies as a source of protein and fertiliser ( Diener et al, 2011 ; Dortmans et al, 2021 ; Deng, et al, 2023 ; ur Rehman et al, 2023 ); and the production of char as a cooking fuel ( Lohri et al, 2016 ; Zabaleta et al, 2018 ).…”

Unveiling Environmental Influences on Sustainable Fertilizer Production through Insect Farming

“…Furthermore, mathematical models coupled with real-time data can significantly improve the management of insect-driven waste composting processes. These models take into account environmental parameters such as relative humidity and ambient temperature, which are crucial for insect growth, organic matter decomposition, and nutrient transformation processes [20][21][22][23]. Through the use and application of such strategies, composting facility management and design can be revolutionized, leading to improved performance, economic viability, and the advancement of sustainable waste management solutions.…”

“…In the BSF-assisted waste valorization process, previous studies focused on optimizing the quality of larvae for animal feeding purposes [21], while others focused on substrates parameters only [20]. Nonetheless, it is necessary to unravel crucial environmental parameters in the BSF-assisted composting process.…”

A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Development of a Supply Chain in Biomass Conversion of Agrifood Waste Mediated by Larvae of Hermetia illucens L.: From Rearing to By-Product Exploitation

“…Gligorescu et al [32] found the best feeding treatment testing the bioconversion efficiency in crates with 20,000 BSFL on 8-10 kg of food waste. Yang-Jie et al [35] planned a 4-year full-scale study with containers filled with 6 kg of urban waste inoculated with 8000 BSFL. The containers were racked in rows and layers to treat 15 ton/day of waste.…”