SOLIDS REDUCTION AND MICROBIAL PROTEIN MEASUREMENT IN BIODIGESTER USED IN CASSAVA WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the efficiency of solids removal and quantifying microbial protein in residual biomass from a digester used to treat cassava effluent. The effluent was evaluated in the inlet and outlet to determine its effectiveness, but, in order to measure microbial protein, only the digester output was used. The total protein content in dry biomass was determined by Kjeldahl method, adopting the factor of 6.25 for the conversion from the total nitrogen. Was determined dry weight and quantified the protein content present in the same. Turbidity, total solids and volatile solids were removed in 73.97, 64.37 and 76.04%, respectively. The average dry weight was 2.1 kg m³ with almost 54.73% crude protein. The average effluent flow of cassava was considered as 90 m³ h^-1; thus, average crude protein production was estimated in 124 kg h^-1. According to the obtained results, the improvement and optimization of the process are aimed to produce a single-cell protein with food quality.