Performance evaluation of anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of solid organic wastes in semicontinuosus reactors

Abstract

In recent decades the anaerobic digestion of organic waste is a valid alternative for the production of renewable energies on farm animals. However, this process is vulnerable to inhibition by several factors, namely ammonia (NH3) and ammonium ion (NH4 +). High concentrations of these species, predominantly in monogastric animals (poultry and pig) manure, can seriously challenge anaerobic digestion. Mix of substrates (co‐digestion), dilution of manure and acclimation of microorganism, are some mechanisms studied to avoid the ammonia inhibition. The objective of the present research was to evaluate the performance of anaerobic digestion of cattle manure, poultry manure and the co‐digestion of this waste with fruit and vegetable waste.