Biological Pretreatment of Cassava Husk with Aspergillus Niger ATCC 1004 to Improve Biogas Production

Cassava processing generates large amounts of organic waste, such as effluents, peels and bagasse. The present work aimed to evaluate the cultivation of Aspergillus niger ATCC 1004 as a pre-treatment on the bark of cassava, aiming at improving the production of biogas through anaerobic digestion. The pre-treatment was evaluated in relation to changes in the centesimal composition, Forrier transform mid-infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy patterns. The anaerobic digestion of the husks together with bovine manure was analyzed in relation to the daily volume of gas produced, methane content, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. The effluent generated was analyzed in relation to chemical oxygen demand (COD), total and volatile solids content and pH. Relevant changes were observed in the biomass after pre-treatment, mainly in relation to lignin breakdown (53