EVALUATION OF THE USE OF SEPIOLITE TO OPTIMIZE THE METHANOGENESIS FROM ANAEROBIC DOMESTIC SLUDGES IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

The effects exerted by the support material sepiolite on the methane production from domestic sludges with different levels of acetate and sulphate were studied. A mathematical model was performed according to the response surface technique. The results of this study showed that the highest production of methane was achieved when the experiments were conducted with the lowest levels of sulphate and sepiolite, and with concentrations of acetate ranging between 24 and 45 mM. The increase in the concentrations of sepiolite and sulphate led to a reduction in the methane production.