Anaerobic digestion of cassava starch-based organic polymer

Abstract

The present work aimed to perform the process of anaerobic digestion of biodegradable polymeric material based on cassava starch, by using laboratory-scale digesters running on batch operation. We used stabilized swine wastewater as raw material and degradable plastic cups made from cassava starch for the production of biogas. The experiment was carried out in greenhouses under mesophilic conditions. Four treatments were performed, received concentrations of 12.5, 37.5 and 62.5 g.L^-1, which provided a total input of 40, 120 and 200 g of biodegradable material in the reactors of each treatment, respectively. From the partial results obtained, it was possible to conclude that biodegradable cassava starch-based polymers show high biodegradability when subjected to anaerobic digestion in mesophilic phase. The elevated production of biogas in a short time span is another remarkable factor. Due to the easy degradability of the material, high concentrations of polymeric material under digestion may cause reactor acidification with the increased production of volatile acids.