This　study　developed　an　economical　approach　for　enhancing　short　-chain　fatty　acids　(SCFAs)　production　from　waste　activated　sludge　(WAS)　by　NaCl　assistant　anaerobic　fermentation.　With　NaCl　addition　at　20　g/L,　sludge　disintegration　with　extracellular　polymeric　substance　(EPS)　disruption　and　cell　lysis　were　induced　owing　to　the　attack　of　osmotic　pressure,　which　facilitated　WAS　solubilization　with　release　of　biodegradable　organic　matters.　The　SCOD　sharply　increased　to　4092　mg/L　(SCOD/TCOD　=　23.9%)　after　2　-day　hydrolysis,　against　1462　mg/L　in　the　control.　After　4　-day　anaerobic　fermentation,　considerable　SCFAs　production　of　288.2　mg　COD/g　VSS　was　achievable.　More　than　60%　of　the　SCFAs　was　composed　of　acetic　and　propionic　acids.　The　feasibility　of　bio-electrogenesis　in　microbial　fuel　cell　(MFC)　utilizing　fermentative　liquid　was　assessed.　As　such,　the　produced　SCFAs　could　be　consumed　with　energy　recovery,　thereby　the　used　NaCl　was　reusable,　which　created　environ-mental　and　economic　bene　fits,　e.g.　reduced　NaCl　consumption　and　cost,　negligible　residual　NaCl.