Microcalorimetric monitoring of anaerobic digestion processes

Microcalorimetry was used for monitoring anaerobic digestion processes of h eavily polluted industrial waste waters (from cheese industry, distilleries , yeast plant). Interpreting the thermal power-time curves by HPLC, some su b-processes in batch cultures were tentatively identified as acidogenic, ac etogenic and methanogenic. Processes underlying power-time curves up to 10 h were different for different wastes. In the case of cheese whey and disti llery waste it was acidogenesis, in the case of sulfate containing waste - presumably reduction of sulfates. The effect of Biotreat 100 (BimKemi Eesti Ltd.), a preparation for removing H2S from waste water, was observed for t hese processes.