Towards a standardization of biomethane potential tests

8 PáginasProduction of biogas from different organic materials is a most interesting source of renewable energy. The biomethane potential (BMP) of these materials has to be determined to get insight in design parameters for anaerobic digesters. A workshop was held in June 2015 in Leysin Switzerland to agree on common solutions to the conundrum of inconsistent BMP test results. A discussion covers actions and criteria that are considered compulsory ito accept and validate a BMP test result; and recommendations concerning the inoculum substrate test setup and data analysis and reporting ito obtain test results that can be validated and reproduced.The workshop in Leysin, Switzerland, has been financed by the Swiss Federal Office for Energy, and co-sponsored by Bioprocess Control Sweden AB, Lund, Sweden. The authors thank Alexandra Maria Murray for editing the English

First international comparative study of volatile fatty acids in aqueous samples by chromatographic techniques: Evaluating sources of error

This first international proficiency-testing scheme evaluated the analytical performance and the state of practice in measurement of volatile fatty acids in aqueous samples. Gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography were used by 25 laboratories from 15 different countries. Two reference materials were selected for analysis. The performance of each laboratory was assessed by the internationally-accepted z-score. The overall performance was rather poor. Among the causes of poor analytical performance, human errors and inadequate calibration were probably the major problems encountered. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of solid organic materials: results obtained from an international interlaboratory study

International audienceThis paper describes the results obtained for different participating research groups in an interlaboratory study related to the biochemical methane potential (BMP). In this research work, the full experimental conditions influencing the test such as inoculum, substrate characteristics and experimental conditions were reported. The study was performed using 4 samples: 3 reference substrates (starch, cellulose and gelatine), and 1 raw material (mung bean). The BMP of mung bean was carried out at two inoculum to substrate ratios (ISR), specifically 2 and 1. The methane yields of reference substrates for starch, cellulose and gelatine were 352±33, 353±29 and 382±42 mL/g VSadded, respectively. The percentages of biotransformation of these substrates into methane were 85±8, 85±7 and 88±10%, respectively. On the other hand, the values of methane yields and biodegradability for MB were 373±35 mL CH4/g VSadded and 86±8%, respectively. In addition, the anaerobic digestion of the raw material selected did not show influence on the ISR in the extent of the biotransformation

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of solid organic materials: results obtained from an international interlaboratory study

International audienceThis paper describes the results obtained for different participating research groups in an interlaboratory study related to the biochemical methane potential (BMP). In this research work, the full experimental conditions influencing the test such as inoculum, substrate characteristics and experimental conditions were reported. The study was performed using 4 samples: 3 reference substrates (starch, cellulose and gelatine), and 1 raw material (mung bean). The BMP of mung bean was carried out at two inoculum to substrate ratios (ISR), specifically 2 and 1. The methane yields of reference substrates for starch, cellulose and gelatine were 352±33, 353±29 and 382±42 mL/g VSadded, respectively. The percentages of biotransformation of these substrates into methane were 85±8, 85±7 and 88±10%, respectively. On the other hand, the values of methane yields and biodegradability for MB were 373±35 mL CH4/g VSadded and 86±8%, respectively. In addition, the anaerobic digestion of the raw material selected did not show influence on the ISR in the extent of the biotransformation