Mass Balance and Compositional Analysis of Biomass Outputs from Cacao Fruits.

The global chocolate value chain is based exclusively on cacao beans (CBs). With few exceptions, most CBs traded worldwide are produced under a linear economy model, where only 8 to 10% of the biomass ends up in chocolate-related products. This contribution reports the mass balance and composition dynamics of cacao fruit biomass outputs throughout one full year of the crop cycle.

Modelling biofilm anaerobic reactor with effluent from hydrolytic/acidogenic reactor as substrate.

This work presents modelling of an anaerobic biofilm reactor using ceramic bricks as support. The results were compared with the experimental data. It was observed that the substrate concentration curves showed the same tendency.

Microbiological characterization and specific methanogenic activity of anaerobe sludges used in urban solid waste treatment.

This study presents the microbiological characterization of the anaerobic sludge used in a two-stage anaerobic reactor for the treatment of organic fraction of urban solid waste (OFUSW). This treatment is one alternative for reducing solid waste in landfills at the same time producing a biogas (CH(4) and CO(2)) and an effluent that can be used as biofertilizer. The system was inoculated with sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Río Frío Plant in Bucaramanga-Colombia) and a methanogenic anaerobic digester for the treatment of pig manure (Mesa de los Santos in Santander).