Microalgae can be cultivated on waste dark fermentation effluents containing volatile fatty acids (VFA) such as acetate or butyrate. These VFA can however inhibit microalgae growth at concentrations above 0.5-1 gC.L–1. This study used the model strain Chlorella sorokiniana to investigate the effects of acetate or butyrate concentration on biomass growth rates and yields alongside C:N:P ratios and pH control. Decreasing undissociated acid levels by raising the initial pH to 8.0 allowed growth without inhibition up to 5 gC.L–1 VFAs. However, VFA concentration strongly affected biomass yields irrespective of pH control or C:N:P ratios. Biomass yields on 1.0 gC.L–1 acetate were around 1.3-1.5 gC.gC–1 but decreased by 26-48% when increasing initial acetate to 2.0 gC.L–1. This was also observed for butyrate with yields decreasing up to 25%. This decrease in yield in suggested to be due to the prevalence of heterotrophic metabolism at high organic acid concentration, which reduced the amount of carbon fixed by autotrophy. Finally, the effects of C:N:P on biomass, lipids and carbohydrates production dynamics were assessed using a mixture of both substrates. In nutrient replete conditions, C. sorokiniana accumulated up to 20.5% carbohydrates and 16.4% lipids while nutrient limitation triggered carbohydrates accumulation up to 45.3%.

In Europe, the agricultural biogas sector is currently undergoing fast developments, and cattle manure constitutes an important feedstock. Batch dry digester processes with leachate recirculation prove to be particularly interesting for small-scale plants. However, their startup being relatively slow, the process could be facilitated by co-digestion with energy crops. In this study, Miscanthus x giganteus was chosen for its high biomass yields and low input requirements. The carbohydrate accessibility of this lignocellulosic biomass is limited but may be improved with alkali pretreatment. The efficiency of lime (CaO) pretreatment with low water addition on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of miscanthus was investigated through two experimental designs (CaO concentrations ranged between 2.5 and 17.5% and pretreatment lasted 1, 3, or 5 days). The pretreated miscanthus was then co-digested with cattle manure in dry leach bed reactors. CaO pretreatments led to a 14–37% improvement of miscanthus BMP, and a 67–227% increase in the first-order kinetics constant; a high contact time was shown to favor methane production. According to these results and to industrial requirements, miscanthus was pretreated with 5 and 10% CaO for 5 days, then co-digested with manure in dry leach bed reactors. Nevertheless, the promising results of the BMP tests were not validated. This could be related to the high water absorption capacity of miscanthus.

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