Bioelectrochemical assisted landfill technology for the stabilization and valorization of food waste anaerobic digestate

[Display omitted] •Bioelectrochemical assisted landfill was used for food waste digestate stabilization.•Bioelectrochemical assistance provides extra organics removal performance.•Sustainable energy was recovered from digestate stabilization.•Ammonium was removed via diffusion and nitrification–denitrification process.•Digestate post-treatment achieved gene stabilization and improved biosafety. Anaerobic digestion provides an important approach for food waste treatment and valorization, yet a considerable amount of digestate is produced. The appropriate management and utilization of food waste anaerobic digestate is highly desirable for solving both environmental and economic concerns currently. This work innovatively develops a natural potential difference assisted landfill technology (shown as BESAL) for food waste digestate treatment and energy recovery. The results demonstrate the electrochemical assistant accelerates the stabilization of digestate, provides extra 14.89% of organic matter removal and 20.92 mW/m2 of electrical energy recovery over conventional treatment. BESAL promotes the removal of soluble matters in digestate extraction, prevents 13.07 mg/g ammonium-N and 32.87% of total VFAs from accumulation. BESAL also performs gene level stabilization by inhibiting/eliminating microbial and pathogenic gene to ensure the biosafety in its product. Integrated landfill with bioelectrochemical assistance provides a promising option for organic waste stabilization and valorization.