title: Evaluating limiting steps of anaerobic degradation of food waste based on methane production tests.
abstract: This research adapted a batch test for biochemical methane production (BMP) to follow the degradation of complex compounds such as proteins and vegetable oils. The test measured the transformation of albumin and olive oil into methane under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions and assess limiting step in the overall degradation process. The thermophilic sludge used for the BMP tests was adapted during ten month from mesophilic sludge while being fed food waste. As compared to acetic acid, the specific rate of transformation of albumin and olive oil into methane reached 22 and 51%, respectively, under mesophilic conditions. Acetoclastic methanogenesis was not the limiting step in the presence of albumin or olive oil (and its monomer-like molecules such as amino acids, glycerol and oleic acid). Rather, the degradation of albumin was restricted by the presence of proteins. The thermophilically adapted sludge showed good proteolytic activity, but its acetoclastic methanogens were unable to degrade olive oil, because of the inhibitory effect of oleic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Husser
authors.forename: Suzelle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barrington
authors.forename: Serge R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Guiot
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D005735:Garbage; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000596:Amino Acids; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D019301:Oleic Acid; D008697:Methane; D005990:Glycerol; D019342:Acetic Acid; D010100:Oxygen