From Trash to Biogas
Biological engineering major Abby Studnek got real-world experience this summer exploring how to turn organic waste into biogas through the Biocarbon Utilization and Sequestration Lab.
Have you ever caught yourself standing between a recycling bin and a trash can, unsure what category your trash belongs to? One type of waste that doesn’t fit neatly into either bin is food and other organic waste. This waste often ends up in landfills, where it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Researchers at NC State University are working to divert that waste and put it to better use.
Inside the Biocarbon Utilization and Sequestration (BUS) Lab at NC State, researchers are working to leverage sustainable biomass resources for valuable applications while also removing carbon from the atmosphere. The lab is led by Joe Sagues, an assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering, whose research focuses on carbon removal and innovative uses of biomass.
Abby Studnek, a junior majoring in biological engineering with a bioprocessing engineering concentration, spent her summer contributing to an ongoing research project in the BUS Lab that focuses on diverting organic waste from landfills and converting it into biogas through anaerobic digestion. This process uses microorganisms to break down organic waste without oxygen, creating biogas, a renewable energy source. The research aims to apply different uses to the methane and carbon dioxide that make up biogas.
“The goal of the project is to take biogas produced from organic waste and use it as a replacement for natural gases, to use this energy, but also to mitigate the methane that waste would be producing in a landfill,” Sagues says. “The methane can be used to generate heat and electricity, or upgraded into renewable natural gas, and the carbon dioxide can also be captured and applied in useful ways, such as for wastewater treatment and other industrial processes.”
Studnek recently reflected on how her time in the lab has shaped her understanding of carbon removal and energy production while also answering her questions about how she could make a difference with her degree.
Was this your first time doing undergraduate research?
This was my first time doing research in bioprocessing work. Last summer I worked with Dr. Barbara Doll in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, doing ecological engineering research. Over the past year, I was also part of NC State’s Engineering Sustainable Composting and Outreach Program ((e)SCoOP) where I did research involving biotechnology.
What made you apply to NC State, and how did you decide your major?
Going into college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but people were like, ‘You’re good at science and math. You should do engineering.’ So that’s what I did. I actually found Biological and Agricultural Engineering through a friend who recommended it to me because I’ve always been interested in sustainability and the work that goes along with that.
Has it been a good fit?
It’s definitely been a good fit. In my classes I get to see the actual, real-world application of my interest in science and math. Getting to see solutions to real-world problems has kept me here.
What made you want to do undergraduate research?
To get experience really. I’ve said I have liked sustainability for a long time, and that I’d love to do something in engineering, but I had no idea what that was. So it really was to discover what I can actually do with my degree. Trying out the different concentrations, like ecological and bioprocessing, has helped me get a more concrete idea of what I want to do.
How did you spend your summer in the BUS Lab?
I worked with Drs. Yaojing Qiu and Joe Sagues on their biochemical methane production project. I looked at different industrial, municipal and organic waste products to see how much methane they can produce via anaerobic digestion over a 30-day period. My main role was to characterize all the samples, such as total solids and volatile solids. After those 30 days, we made comparisons between the samples to see what type of characteristics led to more favorable production.
What was your biggest challenge?
The main thing I keep thinking about was the flexibility I had to have with scheduling and also learning how to productively multitask, because some lab tasks can take a long time. It’s figuring out not just doing one thing at one time, but seeing how you can layer different things to be the most productive. Experimentally, in terms of the methods, we didn’t have too many challenges. It was really the scheduling, and just being flexible with what samples don’t come in on time. So what can we do instead, right?
What are you passionate about?
Well, for engineering: I’ve always loved problem-solving and efficiency, and that’s like the bread and butter of it. We need energy for as long as we’re going to be here, so we’re always looking for new sources that aren’t going to harm the planet. Being able to do research in an area in which I know I’ll be giving something to people, like literally light and energy, is exciting.
Knowing that my little piece this summer could actually be part of something that leads to more renewable energy sources from anaerobic digestion is exciting.
