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La productividad de los cultivos está regida por complejas interacciones agroclimáticas. En ese sentido, el éxito productivo no sólo depende de la intensidad de los estímulos climáticos sino también de su secuencia temporal durante el ciclo de vida de los cultivos. Entre estos parámetros se encuentran la temperatura, la radiación solar y el agua en el suelo, que son los principales factores meteorológicos que regulan los procesos en las plantas. El objetivo de esta investigación consistió en determinar, a partir de un estudio agroclimático, los efectos de las variables climáticas (temperatura, precipitación y brillo solar) en el cultivo de fríjol (Phaseolus vulgaris) en el municipio de Sibundoy. La evaluación de las variables que inciden en este cultivo se hizo a partir del modelo de simulación Cropwat®. Se encontró que entre los años 2008 y 2011 no hubo cambios significativos en las variables evaluadas, en comparación con el 2014 en el que las condiciones climáticas empezaron a alterar de manera relativa estos cultivos, afectando su rendimiento y producción. Se puede concluir que existe una notable relación entre el clima y la productividad agrícola, debido al incremento de altas temperaturas, fuertes precipitaciones y la intermitencia de fenómenos climáticos; por tanto, los estudios agroclimáticos mediante las estimaciones de análisis computacional permiten inducir a la búsqueda de nuevas alternativas de adaptabilidad frente al cambio climático.

Green waste (GW) represents 11% of municipal solid waste. Managing this waste is challenging due to its physicochemical variability, low density, and presence of hard-to-degrade lignocellulosic compounds. Composting is an alternative for GW transformation and valorization. However, due to the substrate characteristics, processing times are long, and the end product typically does not meet quality standards. Incorporating additives and co-substrates are operational strategies that contribute to overcoming these challenges. An essential step is the determination of a mixture’s composition that ensures synergistic effects on the process and end-product quality. This research assessed the effect of adding biochar (Bch) in the co-composting of GW and food waste (FW). A previously studied co-composting mixture (M) of GW, raw and processed FW, sawdust (Sd), and phosphoric rock (Pr) with four treatments by duplicate were assessed at the pilot scale: T1: 100% GW, T2: M1, T3: M2 + 2% Bch, y T4: M3 + 5% Bch. The results show that Bch treatments maintained the range of thermophilic temperatures for longer than the other two treatments (between four and five additional days), showing greater biological activity and better end-product hygienization. Likewise, in the Bch treatments, the hemicellulose and cellulose degradation improved compared to treatments without Bch by 33.9% and 23.3%, respectively, and nitrogen losses were reduced by up to 70%. Regarding the end product, adding a 2% dose of Bch allowed the highest fertility index compared to the other three treatments, showing its potential for agricultural use. This work demonstrates that adding biochar to FW and GW co-composting improves organic matter degradation rates, lignocellulosic degradation, and end-product quality.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of food waste (FW) has been gaining more interest as it has potential for the production of organic amendments with high struvite (NH4MgPO4·6H2O) content, which is a nutrient of great interest in sustainable agriculture. In this study, the influence of AD of FW in one- and two-phase configurations on methane production and the potential for struvite formation using digestate was evaluated. It was found that the two-phase is more efficient as its organic loading rate is 18% higher than that of one-phase configuration. In addition, the two-phase yielded a higher methane content in biogas (>60%) and a higher organic matter transformation in each of the AD stages (>20%); further, the digestate complied with the regulatory requirements for the use of organic amendments, thereby being deemed as a Type-B material with a struvite precipitation potential, exceeding 80%, as opposed to the digestate from one-phase configuration, which may represent a revenue of up to US$ 26,505 per year. HIGHLIGHTS Two-phase anaerobic digestion of food waste (AD-FW) is an alternative for the generation of struvite.; The presence of struvite helps the sanitization of the digestate obtained in the AD-FW.; Two-phase AD has potential for the treatment as well as energy and agricultural use of FW in small communities.

The potential for obtaining renewable energy from organic substrates such as food waste (FW) and biowaste has generated increasing interest in the anaerobic digestion process. Kinetic models are used to analyse the impact of different parameters on biological processes and thus, to optimize them to achieve and to increase the quality and quantity of biogas. This study presents an approximation of the pre-dimensioning of semi-continuous anaerobic reactors treating FW, based on: (i) biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays, in different conditions of substrate-inoculum ratio (S/I: 0.5 and 4.0 g volatile solid-VSsubstrate·g VSinoculum−1) and nutrients (with macro-nutrients (N and P) and micronutrients, only micronutrients (Ni, Co, Mo and Fe) and without nutrients), and (ii) the kinetic performance through three kinetic models (transfer function-TF, logistic function-LF and modified Gompertz-MG), using Pmax (maximum methane production) and Rmax (maximum rate of methane production) as kinetic parameters related to the hydraulic retention time. The best S/I ratios were below 1.0 gVSsubstrate·gVSinoculum−1 with nutrients. Although the three kinetic models obtained a good fit (R2 > 0.9 and RMSE

Composting is an adequate method for treating and valorizing agricultural waste such as those from spring onion (SO) cultivation and chicken breeding (chicken manure–CM). However, the low content of Total Organic Carbon in the waste from SO and the high concentration of total nitrogen in CM are limitations for the composting process. This research studied the co-composting of SO and CM in a moorland ecosystem, together with locally available co-substrates such as biowaste (BW) and woodchips (WC), focusing on the effect of co-composting in process development and end-product quality. A pilot-scale experiment was carried out using three treatments in triplicated composting piles: (i) Treatment A: 43% CM + 41% BW + 16% WC; (ii) Treatment B: 52% CM + 32% SO + 16% WC, and (iii) Treatment C: 70% SO + 30% WC. Treatments A and B reached thermophilic temperatures after two days of the process start and remained at that level for 17 days. However, treatment B reached environmental temperature during curing in a shorter time (43 days) than treatment A (53 days). Treatment C did not achieve thermophilic temperatures. Tests carried out at the end of the process showed end-product stability and non-phytotoxic characteristics (germination indexes 80%). The fertility index of the products showed that treatments A and B presented values of 4.3 (over 5.0) while treatment C obtained a value of 2.5. From the perspective of agricultural use, products from the three treatments had limitations due to deficiencies in essential nutrients like phosphorus. Still, they had potential as a soil amendment for restoration processes. In summary, we have demonstrated that this waste, in combination with other organic materials, could be a good amendment for the composting process and the end product.

The increasing pressure on water resources due to population growth and high water consumption, especially in urban areas from tropical developing countries, has led to a rise in water stress. The sustainability analysis of the Total Water Footprint (WFtotal) and the Environmental Sustainability Index (SIblue) are holistic water management tools that allow for establishing pressures over water resources. This study assessed the WFtotal and their components (Blue, Green, and Gray) in the households of a low-income tropical neighborhood in Colombia with sanitation deficiencies. The activities associated with intra-household water use and higher environmental impact were identified, considering socioeconomic conditions and the water quality in the receiving water body, a wetland, through the application of surveys in a sample of households. The results showed that 86.7% of the WF was the WFgreen, followed by the WFgray (13.2%), and finally, the WFblue (0.2%). The high value of the WFgreen was related to food consumption patterns, which varied according to socioeconomic level. Likewise, the SIblue shows that the Baquero wetland presented scarcity scenarios regarding water quality and sedimentation, threatening the environmental service provision from this strategic ecosystem. Finally, tools such as the WFtotal and SIblue help identify strategies that could be implemented to reduce the pressure on the water resources and the water quality degradation in ecosystems relevant to global sustainability as wetlands.

Food waste (FW) has a high potential for use in biological processes such as anaerobic digestion (AD), especially due to its high content of biodegradable organic matter. To inoculate the reactors, sludge is usually used. The sludge should ideally have good sedimentation and specific methanogenic activity (SMA), which is typical for granular sludge. However, in a Latin American context, the most available and accessible sludges are flocculants with low sedimentation and SMA. Applying technological surveillance between 1975 and 2017, using multicriteria analysis techniques such as analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and consulting with international and national experts, we observed that there were few studies, compared to published studies on the substrates that focused on improving inoculum quality through conditioning to improve its characteristics and maximize methane production. The inoculum-conditioning methodologies identified were grouped into five categories, being the main strategy the addition of nutrients followed by anaerobic digestion with an easily degradable substrate. However, extension of technological surveillance is recommended by incorporating the results published from significant events in the field of anaerobic digestion, such as the Latin American Workshop and Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion and the World Congress on Anaerobic Digestion. RESUMEN Los residuos de alimentos (RA) presentan un alto potencial de aprovechamiento mediante procesos biológicos como la digestión anaerobia (DA), especialmente por su alto contenido de materia orgánica biodegradable. Para inocular los reactores, en general se emplean lodos que deben presentar buena sedimentabilidad y actividad metanogénica específica (AME), típico en lodos granulares. Sin embargo, los de mayor disponibilidad y accesibilidad en el contexto latinoamericano, son lodos floculentos de baja sedimentabilidad y AME. Aplicando vigilancia tecnológica desde 1975 hasta 2017, se evidenció escasa literatura enfocada a mejorar la calidad del inóculo mediante acondicionamientos para mejorar sus características y maximizar la producción de metano, en comparación con los estudios publicados sobre el sustrato. Se identificaron diferentes metodologías de acondicionamiento de inóculos, las cuales se agruparon en cinco categorías y mediante la aplicación de técnicas de análisis multicriterio como el proceso de análisis jerárquico (AHP) y con consulta a expertos internacionales y nacionales. Se identificaron las técnicas más utilizadas, siendo las principales, la adición de nutrientes seguida por la digestión anaerobia con un sustrato de fácil degradación. Sin embargo, se recomienda complementar la vigilancia tecnológica, incorporando los resultados publicados en eventos de gran importancia en el campo de la DA como el Seminario-Taller latinoamericano y el Congreso Mundial de Digestión Anaerobia.

The high organic content of food waste (FW), which represents the largest proportion of municipal solid waste (MSW) (in Latinamerican countries 50–75%), makes its treatment increasingly common trough technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD), to obtain value-added by-products, such as renewable energy in the form of methane, digestates and other by-products of biotechnological applications such as long-chain fatty acids. In this study, the influence of semi-continuous reactors in single-stage (R1) and two-stage (R2: acidogenic and R3: methanogenic reactors) configurations on the AD-FW was evaluated (including parameters related to process monitoring, organic matter conversion and process reactions) with the following organic loading rate (OLR: kgVS m-3 d-1) values: i. R1: 0.7, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0; ii. R2: 3.0, 4.0, 9.0 and 15.0; and R3: 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 7.0. The two-stage configuration showed a better performance in terms of: i. the OLRs: 35% higher than that in the single-stage configuration, with chemical oxygen demand (CODtotal) and volatile solid (VS) removal efficiencies > 80%; ii. the best performance in terms of methane production, with statistically significant differences (p

Biowastes are the main fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW), and of this, food waste (FW) is the predominant component. Given that FW is predominantly biodegradable organic matter, approach strategies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) are suitable to apply on these substrates because these process also produces methane gas as a renewable energy source, particularly important given the depletion of nonrenewable energy sources. This study evaluated the influence of two parameters on AD: substrate-inoculum ratio (S/I: 0.5 to 2.0 gVSsubstrate gVSinoculum−1) and pH (7.0 to 8.0 units) on biochemical methane potential (BMP) using the response surface methodology (RSM), a valuable tool which can be used to establish strategies that allow for the control and optimization of the AD of FW. Of the conditions evaluated, it was found that the optimal S/I ratio and pH conditions to guarantee the highest BMP (297.05 ± 14.38 mL CH4 gVS−1) were S/I ratio = 0.19 gVSsubstrate gVSinoculum−1 and pH = 7.5. Although the hydrolysis constant (kh) was low, in all conditions, it was in the range reported for substrates with a high carbohydrate content, such as FW (0.002–0.25 day−1). In this study, pH was found to be the factor that had the most significant effect on kh and BMP.

Food waste (FW) represents the highest proportion of municipal solid waste (MSW), which due to its high biodegradability can be treated and recycled via anaerobic digestion (AD). Although in Latin America there is a high availability of flocculent sludges, they present deficiencies that limit their use as potential inoculum. In this study, the influence of incorporating a granular inoculum on the production of methane by the AD of FW, in combination with a flocculent inoculum from a sludge digester of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (inoculum A) was evaluated by biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. The granular sludge was obtained from a methanogenic reactor that treats cattle slaughterhouse wastewater (inoculum B). The evaluated A:B mixtures (100:00, 75:25, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 25:75 and 00:100), showed that the incorporation of inoculum B (granular) improved the hydrolytic activity of the mixtures (values from 0.16–0.91 gCODGlucose) and provided adequate equilibrium between the specific acidogenic activity (SAA: 3.6–0.88 g CODGlucose gVS−1 d−1) and the specific methanogenic activity (SMA: 0.047–0.19 gCODCH4 gVS−1 d−1). The 75:25 and 50:50 inoculum mixtures produced superior BMP and physicochemical characteristics and microbiological activities. The expected Kh behavior was not observed due to the extended lag-phase that occurred in the experiment (8–12 days) and the presence of particulate organic matter, which is common for this type of substrate. With respect to the stability determination factor (If), the inoculum mixtures with higher proportions of granular sludge demonstrated greater stability during the AD process.

The production of renewable energy in the form of methane from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of food waste (FW) varies depending on factors such as the quantity and quality of the inoculum. This research evaluated the influence of trace elements (Ca, K, Fe, Zn, Al, Mg, Co, Ni, and Mo) present in inoculum from different sources (wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): 2 agro-industrial WWTPs and 1 municipal WWTP) on the AD of FW. This study found that the source of the inoculum determines the content of macronutrients and trace elements, which can alter the requirements of the AD process and therefore affect methane production. The inoculum obtained from municipal WWTPs contain potentially inhibitory concentrations of Zn and Al that negatively affect methane production ( 7 days). It was also found that high concentrations of trace elements such as Ni (35.2 mg kg-1) and Mo (15.4 mg kg-1) in the inoculum increase methane production (140.7 mL CH4·gVS-1) and hydrolysis constant (>0.18d-1) in addition to presenting short lag-phase (

Los residuos de alimentos son el componente principal de los residuos sólidos municipales y dado su elevado contenido de materia orgánica tienen alto potencial de producción de metano, mediante la digestión anaerobia; sin embargo, la predominancia de material lignocelulósico dificulta su hidrólisis. En este estudio, mediante ensayos de potencial bioquímico de metano, se evaluó el efecto de diferentes condiciones de pretratamiento térmico del sustrato, aplicando temperaturas entre 72 – 128°C y tiempos de exposición de 15 – 33 minutos sobre el rendimiento de producción de CH4. Para evaluar el efecto de las condiciones de pretratamiento, se empleó la metodología de superficie de respuesta y la aplicación de los modelos cinéticos de primer orden y de ajuste de Gompertz modificado. Los parámetros cinéticos identificados fueron validados, mediante niveles de confianza, usando la matriz de información de fisher. Se encontró que la región óptima, para alcanzar un mayor rendimiento en la digestión anaerobia, en cuanto a la producción de CH4, superior a 150mLCH4 gSV-1 y tiempos de la fase de latencia menores a 1 día, fue alrededor de 100°C, con tiempos de exposición cercanos a 15 minutos, condición en que se alcanzó una mayor solubilidad y mejorando positivamente la etapa hidrolítica del proceso anaerobio. Food waste are the main component of the municipal solid waste and given their high content of organic matter, have high potential for methane production through the anaerobic digestion. However, the predominance of lignocellulosic material hinders its hydrolysis. In this study, by means of assays of biochemical methane potential, the effect of different thermal pre-treatment conditions of the substrate was evaluated by applying temperatures between 72 - 128°C and exposure times of 15 - 33 minutes on the conditions on the performance of CH4. To evaluate the effect of pretreatment, we used the Response Surface Methodology accompanied by the application of first order kinetic and modified Gompertz models. The identified kinetic parameters were validated using confidence levels using the fisher information matrix. It was found that the optimal region, to reach a higher yield in the anaerobic digestion with regard to the production of CH4 higher than 150mLCH4gVS-1 and lag-phase times less than 1 day, was around 100°C with exposure times close to 15 minutes, condition in which a greater solubility was reached and positively improving the hydrolytic stage of the anaerobic process. Incluye referencias bibliográficas

Hydrolysis is the rate limiting stage in the anaerobic digestion (AD) of solid waste, such as food waste (FW), due to the presence of lignocellulosic material, which affects methane production. Mitigation strategies, such as thermal pre-treatment of the substrate, can be used to accelerate hydrolysis. In this study, the influence of temperature (72–128 °C) and exposure time (15–33 min) on the physicochemical properties of the substrate, biochemical methane potential (BMP) hydrolysis, the balance of organic matter (as measured by the chemical oxygen demand (COD)), and net energy production were determined. In terms of the substrate, positive results were obtained: a 50% reduction in lignin; up to a 34% increase in hemicellulose; up to a 99% reduction in Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn; an 83% decrease in Mg; and a 150% increase in K. In addition, methane production was higher than for the untreated substrate (120 vs 90 mLCH4 ⋅ gVS−1). The modified first-order kinetic model and adjusted Gompertz model, showed that the pre-treatment reduced the lag-phase (by less than 1 d), and increased the hydrolysis constant to above 40%. The optimal pre-treatment condition was approximately 72 °C-22 min, promoted hydrolysis, increased the COD soluble and produced a positive energy balance (7821.07 kJ).

The quantity and quality of inoculum used in the Anaerobic Digestion (AD), impact seriously on the biodegradability and the amount of methane produced. This research evaluated the effect of the source of inoculum municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on the production of methane as a source of renewable energy AD from Municipal Biowaste (MB), analyzing the Substrate-Inoculum (S/I) ratio and the buffering capacity of the inoculum as key aspects. The experiments were performed on a laboratory scale by testing Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) in the mesophilic range with a retention time of solids (RTS) 21 days; two inoculums from UASB reactors and the other of an anaerobic sludge digester. The S/I ratios ranged between 0.5 and 12gVSsubstrate gVS-1 inoculum. Although it was found that there were no statistically signifcant differences between the inoculum (p>0.05), the inoculum from the anaerobic digester presented a better performance because of its greater capacity buffer. The S/I ratio showed statistically signifcant differences (p 70mLCH4 gVS-1 substrate ) hydrolysis rates (from 0,15 to 0,21d-1) and phases of lethargy (2,7-9,3d). Keywords: biowaste; renewable energy, hydrolysis, anaerobic sludge, methane, substrate-inoculum ratio.

Mathematical models are tools that allow the prediction and control of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, ensuring process stability and maximizing methane production. In this study, the AD of food waste (FW) was evaluated in single-stage and two-stage semicontinuous configurations, with the following organic loading rates (OLR: kgVS⋅m−3⋅d−1): i. R1 (single-stage reactor): 0.7, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0; ii. R2 and R3 (two-stage acidogenic and methanogenic reactors): 3.0, 4.0, 9.0, 15 and 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 7.0, respectively. Each configuration was analyzed in terms of the kinetics and energy balance, based on the ADM1 model (modified to consider lactic acid production, an acid not traditionally examined in this model). The proposed ADM1 accurately simulates (>80%) the behavior of pH, methane production and lactic acid formation for both configurations, with the single-stage presenting the best fit (R2 > 0.90 NRMSE

Water purification and wastewater treatment generate sludge, which must be adequately handled to prevent detrimental effects to the environment and public health. In this study, we examined the influence of the application of settled sludge from a drinking water treatment plant (S(DWTP)) on the anaerobic digestion (AD) of the thickened primary sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (S(WWTP)) which uses chemically assisted primary treatment (CAPT). On both plants the primary coagulant is ferric chloride. The study was performed at laboratory scale using specific methanogenic activity (SMA) tests, in which mixtures of S(WWTP)-S(DWTP) with the ratios 100:00, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30 and 00:100 were evaluated. Methane detection was also performed by gas chromatography for a period of 30 days. Our results show that all evaluated ratios that incorporate S(DWTP), produce an inhibitory effect on the production of methane. The reduction in methane production ranged from 26% for the smallest concentration of S(DWTP) (20%) to more than 70% for concentrations higher than 25%. The results indicated that the hydrolytic stage was significantly affected, with the hydrolysis constant Kh also reduced by approximately 70% (0.24-0.26 day(-1) for the different ratios compared with 0.34 day(-1) for the S(WWTP) alone). This finding demonstrates that the best mixtures to be considered for anaerobic co-digestion must contain a fraction of S(DWTP) below 20%.

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of food waste (FW) reduces risks to human health and environment, also increases the life of landfills, and mainly is an important strategy to produce energy renewable as methane. Kinetic models can determine the influence of the factors that affect the process of AD and predicts more precisely methane production in order to prevent overestimation or underestimation, which may lead to the definition of real criteria to implement the technology. This study evaluated by means of Biochemical Methane Potential (PBM) assays, the AD of FW from a university restaurant using as inoculum sludge from a UASB reactor in charge of treating municipal wastewater. The factor evaluated was the influence of Substrate-Inoculum (S/I: 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 gVSsubstrate·gVSinoculum -1) ratio. For the prediction of methane were applied the kinetic models: Transfer Function, Logistics Function and Modified Gompertz models. It was found that the S/I ratio affect both, the efficiency of AD process and prediction of methane production, presenting the better results for S/I ratio below one. Within the kinetic models evaluated, the Logistic Function presented the best settings for predicting methane production and lag phase (R2> 0.9). Resumen La Digestión Anaerobia (DA) de los residuos de alimentos (RA), además de reducir los riesgos a la salud humana y el ambiente, permite aumentar la vida útil de los rellenos sanitarios y principalmente es una estrategia para la generación de un tipo de energía renovable como el metano. Los modelos cinéticos permiten determinar la influencia de los factores que afectan el proceso de DA y predecir de manera más precisa la producción de metano para evitar su sobreestimación o subestimación, que puede llevar a la definición de criterios reales para la implementación de la tecnología. Esta investigación evaluó, mediante ensayos de Potencial Bioquímico de Metano (PBM), la DA de RA provenientes de un restaurante universitario usando como inóculo lodo de un reactor UASB que trata aguas residuales municipales. El factor evaluado fue la influencia de la relación Sustrato-Inóculo (S/I: 0.5, 1, 2 y 4 gSVsustrato·gSVinóculo -1). Para la predicción de metano se aplicaron los modelos cinéticos de Función de Transferencia, Función Logística y el modelo Modificado de Gompertz. Se encontró que la relación S/I afectó tanto la eficiencia del proceso, como la predicción de la producción de metano, presentándose los mejores resultados en las relaciones inferiores a uno. Dentro de los modelos cinéticos evaluados, la función logística presentó los mejores ajustes para predecir la producción de metano y la fase de latencia (R2> 0.9).

In recent years, Anaerobic Digestion (AD) has become an important technological alternative for the management of municipal biowaste (MBW) for both pollution control and obtaining renewable energy such as methane. One of the factors that most affects the AD of MBW is the particle size, particularly in the hydrolysis and lag phases, this last being in general the limiting stage of solid waste AD. This research evaluated on a laboratory scale the AD of MBW by evaluating Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) at a temperature of 30 °C during 30 days and the influence of particle size. The particle sizes ranged between < 2 mm to 12.5 mm. Along the study, better results were observed for particle sizes < 2 mm, obtaining productions of methane and electrical energy of 128 mL gVS-1 and 2960.4 kWh week-1 respectively (19% higher than in reactors with larger particles), thus indicating lower costs for design and maintenance.

La cantidad y calidad del inóculo empleado en los procesos de Digestión Anaerobia (DA), incide significativamente sobre la biodegradabilidad y la cantidad de metano que se produce. Esta investigación evaluó el efecto de la procedencia de inóculos de plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales municipales (PTAR) sobre la producción de metano como una fuente de energía renovable, a partir de la DA de Biorresiduos de Origen Municipal (BOM), analizando como aspectos claves la relación Sustrato-Inóculo (S/I) y la capacidad buffer del inóculo. Los experimentos se realizaron a escala de laboratorio mediante ensayos de Potencial Bioquímico de Metano (PBM) en el rango mesofílico con un Tiempo de Retención de Sólidos (TRS) de 21 días; dos de los inóculos procedieron de reactores UASB y el otro de un digestor anaerobio de lodos. Las relaciones S/I oscilaron entre 0,5 y 12gSVsustrato gSV-1inóculo. Aunque se encontró que no existen diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los inóculos (p>0,05), el inóculo procedente del digestor anaerobio presentó un mejor desempeño debido a su mayor capacidad buffer. La relación S/I presentó diferencias estadísticas significativas (p70mLCH4gSV-1sustrato), tasas de hidrólisis (0,15-0,21d-1) y fases de latencia (2,7-9,3d). The quantity and quality of inoculum used in the Anaerobic Digestion (AD), impact seriously on the biodegradability and the amount of methane produced. This research evaluated the effect of the source of inoculum municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on the production of methane as a source of renewable energy AD from Municipal Biowaste (MB), analyzing the Substrate-Inoculum (S/I) ratio and the buffering capacity of the inoculum as key aspects. The experiments were performed on a laboratory scale by testing Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) in the mesophilic range with a retention time of solids (RTS) 21 days; two inoculums from UASB reactors and the other of an anaerobic sludge digester. The S/I ratios ranged between 0.5 and 12gVSsubstrate gVS-1inoculum. Although it was found that there were no statistically significant differences between the inoculum (p>0.05), the inoculum from the anaerobic digester presented a better performance because of its greater capacity buffer. The S/I ratio showed statistically significant differences (p 70mLCH4gVS-1substrate) hydrolysis rates (from 0,15 to 0,21d-1) and phases of lethargy (2,7-9,3d). A quantidade e qualidade do inoculo utilizada na Digestão Anaerobia (DA), um impacto significativo sobre a biodegradabilidade e a quantidade de metano produzido. Esta pesquisa avaliou o efeito da fonte de inóculo de estações de tratamento, águas residuais municipais (ETARM) na produção de metano como fonte de energia renovável, a partir de DA resíduos biológicos de origem municipal (RBOM), analisando como aspectos importantes a relação substrato-inóculo (S/I), a capacidade buffer do inoculo. Os experimentos foram realizados em escala laboratorial por testes bioquímicos metano (BMP) na gama mesofílica com um tempo de retenção dos sólidos (TRS) de 21 dias; Dois inóculos foram de reatores UASB e outra de um digestor de lodo anaeróbio. O S/I a relação variou entre 0,5 e 12gSVsubstrato gSV-1inoculo. Embora verificou-se que não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre o inóculo (p>0,05), o inóculo do digestor anaeróbico apresentou um desempenho melhor por causa de seu buffer de maior capacidade. A relação S/I mostrou diferenças estatisticamente significativa (p 70mLCH4gSV-1substrato) taxas de hidrólise (de 0,15 a 0,21d-1) e fases de letargia (2,7-9,3d).

Biosolids have great utilization potential in the agricultural sector due to its content of organic matter and nutrients. This research evaluated over a period of twelve months and at pilot scale, the influence of the application of biosolids from one wastewater treatment plant on the soil quality, the morphological characteristics of the plant, the quality of pro-duct reflected in degrees brix, sucrose and reducing sugars and the crop yield in terms of tons per hectare of a sugarcane crop. The study was executed in a complete blocks modali-ty at random form with 3 treatments: soil without nutrients application and mineral fertilization, and with biosolids appli-cation with 3 replications per treatment. It was found that the application of biosolids did not alter the microbiological and parasitological quality of the soil with regard to sanitary inter-est variables. Organic matter, mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentrations, were found in the range of the soils of the Valle del Cauca; morphological features of the plant were found in the typical range of the variety used and the crop yield regarding sucrose, brix degrees and re-ducing sugars did not show significant statistical differences between the application of biosolids and mineral fertilization, thus ratifying the feasibility of the use of biosolids for agricul-tural application. Los biosólidos tienen alto potencial de aprovechamiento en el sector agrícola, debido a su contenido de materia orgáni-ca y de nutrientes. En esta investigación, se evaluó, durante un periodo de doce meses y en escala piloto, la influencia de la aplicación de biosólidos de una planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales sobre la calidad del suelo, las caracte-rísticas morfológicas de la planta, la calidad del producto reflejada en grados brix, sacarosa y azúcares reductores y la productividad en términos de toneladas por hectárea, de un cultivo de caña de azúcar. El estudio, se realizó en una modalidad de bloques completos al azar con 3 tratamientos: suelo sin aplicación de nutrientes y fertilización mineral y con aplicación de biosólidos, con 3 réplicas por tratamiento. Se encontró que la aplicación de los biosólidos no alteró la ca-lidad microbiológica y parasitológica del suelo, en cuanto a variables de interés sanitario. Las concentraciones de mate-ria orgánica, nitrógeno mineral, fósforo y potasio, estuvieron dentro de los rangos típicos de los suelos del Valle del Cau-ca; las características morfológicas de la planta también se encontraron en el rango típico de la variedad empleada y en el rendimiento del cultivo respecto a sacarosa, grado brix y azúcares reductores. No se encontraron diferencias estadís-ticas significativas entre la fertilización mineral y la aplicación de los biosólidos, ratificando la viabilidad de este último en actividades agrícolas. Incluye referencias bibliográficas