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A comparison of analytical techniques for evaluating food waste degradation by anaerobic digestion

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Abstract

Organic matter contained in food waste was degraded by anaerobic digestion under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions at two hydraulic retention times. Evolution of the digestion process was followed by thermogravimetry analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. All analytical methods suggested that longer retention times might be required for food waste stabilization under mesophilic conditions as compared to thermophilic stabilization. All the analytical methods showed that the stabilization process consisted of two steps, where complex organic molecules were formed during initial stabilization and then digested providing sufficient hydraulic retention time. Longer hydraulic retention times were required for food waste stabilization under mesophilic conditions. Overall, thermal and 1H NMR analyses of the digestate samples might be recommended if more detailed analysis is required, while fluorescence measurements can be used as a fast screening technique, which provides qualitative assessment of the stabilization process.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank collaboration of the WWTP of León-SALEAL (mancomunidad municipal para el saneamiento integral de León y su alfoz). We thank Dr. Margarida Gairí (NMR Facility at Parc Cientific de Barcelona) for access to 600 MHz spectrometer and M.-F. Manuel (BRI-NRC) for assistance in fluorescence measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, Institute of Natural Resources, University of Leon, IRENA-ESTIA, Avda. de Portugal No 41, León, 24071, Spain

    X. Gómez, M. J. Cuetos & A. Morán

  2. Biotechnology Research Institute, NRC, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montreal, QC, H4P 2A2, Canada

    B. Tartakovsky

  3. Laboratorio de Técnicas Instrumentales, University of León, Campus de Vegazana S/N, León, 24071, Spain

    M. F. Martínez-Núñez

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  1. X. Gómez
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  2. M. J. Cuetos
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  4. M. F. Martínez-Núñez
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  5. A. Morán
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Correspondence to X. Gómez.

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Gómez, X., Cuetos, M.J., Tartakovsky, B. et al. A comparison of analytical techniques for evaluating food waste degradation by anaerobic digestion. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 33, 427–438 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-009-0343-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-009-0343-8

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