RECOVERY OF AGRIFOOD BY-PRODUCTS AND FOOD WASTE FOR BIOMETHANE PRODUCTION

This research activity aims at assessing the potential of different kinds of agrifood by-products and food waste subjected to anaerobic digestion process, to produce biomethane. Biomethane potential (BMP) tests were performed under mesophilic conditions at 37°C. Before each test, all matrices and substrates were characterized considering physical-chemical parameters, particularly, pH, total solids (TS), total volatile solids (TVS), polyphenol content (PPs), chemical oxygen demand (COD), volatile fatty acids (VFA), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and ammonium (NH4). The produced biomethane was evaluated, daily, according to water displacement methodology and its volume was normalised at standard temperature and pressure conditions (T = 0 °C and P = 1013 hPa). Highest methane yield corresponding to 41.95 ± 6.55 NL·kgVS-1 was obtained from the reactor containing 3% of curd, further than the inoculum.