From wood waste to sustainable energy: Unravelling the effects of temperature on biological wood oxidation

Biological wood oxidation (BWO) has emerged as a sustainable method for converting low-value wood waste into sustainable heat for residential applications. However, the mechanisms underlying temperature-dependent efficiency remain underexplored. The objective of this study is to investigate how cultivation temperature and dynamic temperature shifts influence BWO performance across bottle tests and reactor tests. Additionally, we determine the relative abundance of microbial biomass and economic analysis to gain a better understanding of the process. The results indicated that temperature significantly affected dry wood weight loss, O 2 consumption and CO 2 evolution. In the bottle tests, O 2 consumption and dry wood weight loss were maximized at 40 °C. The microbial biomass was highest at 30 °C, while 50 °C significantly inhibited microbial development, resulting in the lowest dry wood weight loss and O 2 consumption. Shifting temperature to 40 °C partially restored the degradation capacity. In the reactor tests, 40 °C exhibited higher weight loss, CO 2 evolution, and microbial biomass in comparison to 50 °C. These findings demonstrate that 40 °C was the favored temperature of BWO. Our preliminary economic analysis indicated that BWO is cost-effective compared to wood pellets and anaerobic digestion for household heating purposes. The insights gained from this study will be valuable for enhancing woody biomass management and reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. • 40 °C was the preferred temperature of BWO for heat production and heat loss. • BWO at 50 °C had lower relative abundance of microbial biomass than at 40 °C. • Shifting to 40 °C partially restored BWO activity after suboptimal incubation. • Reactors at 40 °C exhibited higher CO 2 evolution and weight loss than 50 °C. • BWO was cost-effective for household heating vs. pellets and anaerobic digestion.