LAUSR

Biogas production can support waste management efficiently – such an integrated system may reflect the approaches of a circular economic strategy. Our purpose was to assist in this task through the quantification of the methane potential of several substrates in Hungary, and by an investigation of the correlation between methane potential values and other biological-chemical parameters. The experimental substrates (n=10) were wastes and agricultural byproducts. Mesophilic anaerobic fermentation tests were carried out with the instrument AMPTS II in three parallel runs. Substrate from municipal solid waste was excluded, thus the number of parallel tests was nine. In addition, the following properties were assessed (n=3): organic matter, total solid content, volatile solid content (calculated), pH, C/N ratio, and respiration intensity. The methane potential values of the investigated substrates confirmed that Hungary has considerable potential for biogas production. Significant correlation was detected between methane potential (an anaerobic process) and respiration intensity (an aerobic process): the correlation was linear at R=0.9899. This phenomenon is very important and the finding is innovative although further research is required.