Phosphoric acid based pretreatment of switchgrass and fermentation of entire slurry to ethanol using a simplified process.

Switchgrass (Alamo) was pretreated with phosphoric acid (0.75 and 1%, w/w) at three temperatures (160, 175 and 190 °C) and time (5, 7.5 and 10 min) using a steam gun.

Effects of temperature and particle size on the biochemical methane potential of municipal solid waste components.

The effects of temperature and substrate size on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay were tested using eight municipal solid waste components. Two sample sizes were tested; size-reduced particles (x < 2 mm) which are typically used for BMP assays and unground samples (x > 20-100 mm) more similar to an as-disposed condition. Two incubation temperatures (35 and 55 °C) were tested for each component.

Microbial ecology in anaerobic digestion at agitated and non-agitated conditions.

To investigate the distribution and dynamics of microbial community in anaerobic digestion at agitated and non-agitated condition, 454 pyrosequencing of 16s rRNA was conducted. It revealed the distinct community compositions between the two digesters and their progressive shifting over time. Methanogens and syntrophic bacteria were found much less abundant in the agitated digester, which was mainly attributed to the presence of bacterial genera Acetanaerobacterium and Ruminococcus with relatively high abundance.

Anaerobic digestion for treatment of stillage from cellulosic bioethanol production.

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion of stillage from a cellulosic ethanol process that uses sugarcane bagasse as feedstock was investigated. A biochemical methane potential (BMP) of 200 ml CH4 at STP (g VS)(-1) was obtained. The whole stillage was separated into two fractions: a fraction retained on 0.

Comparison of non-agitated and agitated batch, thermophilic anaerobic digestion of sugarbeet tailings.

Sugar beet tailings were anaerobically digested at non-agitated and agitated conditions in identical thermophilic batch reactors. The average methane yield in the agitated digester was only 74% of that in the non-agitated digester. Ninety percent of the ultimate methane yield was produced in approximately 5 days in the non-agitated digester whereas it took 12 days in agitated digester.

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution by biochars derived from anaerobically digested biomass.

This study examined the ability of two biochars converted from anaerobically digested biomass to sorb heavy metals using a range of laboratory sorption and characterization experiments. Initial evaluation of DAWC (digested dairy waste biochar) and DWSBC (digested whole sugar beet biochar) showed that both biochars were effective in removing a mixture of four heavy metals (Pb(2 +), Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Cd(2+)) from aqueous solutions. Compared to DAWC, DWSBC demonstrated a better ability to remove Ni and Cd.

Removal of phosphate from aqueous solution by biochar derived from anaerobically digested sugar beet tailings.

Biochar converted from agricultural residues or other carbon-rich wastes may provide new methods and materials for environmental management, particularly with respect to carbon sequestration and contaminant remediation. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the removal of phosphate from aqueous solution by biochar derived from anaerobically digested sugar beet tailings (DSTC). Batch adsorption kinetic and equilibrium isotherm experiments and post-adsorption characterizations using SEM-EDS, XRD, and FTIR suggested that colloidal and nano-sized MgO (periclase) particles on the biochar surface were the main adsorption sites for aqueous phosphate.

Biochar derived from anaerobically digested sugar beet tailings: characterization and phosphate removal potential.

Two biochars were produced from anaerobically digested and undigested sugar beet tailings through slow-pyrolysis at 600°C. The digested sugar beet tailing biochar (DSTC) and raw sugar beet tailing biochar (STC) yields were around 45.5% and 36.

Biochar from anaerobically digested sugarcane bagasse.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of anaerobic digestion on biochar produced from sugarcane bagasse. Sugarcane bagasse was anaerobically digested to produce methane. The digested residue and fresh bagasse was pyrolyzed separately into biochar at 600 degrees C in nitrogen environment.

Quantification of cellulase activity using cellulose-azure.

Despite wide application of cellulose-azure as a substrate for measuring cellulase activity, there is no quantification of hydrolysis rate or enzymatic activities using this substrate. The aim of this study was to quantify the hydrolysis rate in terms of product formation and dye released using cellulose-azure. The amount of dye released was correlated with the production of glucose and the enzyme concentrations.

Single-stage, batch, leach-bed, thermophilic anaerobic digestion of spent sugar beet pulp.

Spent sugar beet pulp as received was digested in a single-stage, batch, unmixed, leach-bed, laboratory scale thermophilic anaerobic digester. Biogasification of each 0.450 kg (wet weight) batch of spent pulp was initiated by inoculating with anaerobically digested liquor from previous run.

Kinetics and dynamic modelling of batch anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste in a stirred reactor.

A series of batch, slurry anaerobic digestion experiments were performed where the soluble and insoluble fractions, and unwashed MSW were separately digested in a 200l stirred stainless steel vessel at a pH of 7.2 and a temperature of 38 degrees C. It was found that 7% of the total MSW COD was readily soluble, of which 80% was converted to biogas; 50% of the insoluble fraction was solubilised, of this only 80% was converted to biogas.