Estudio y seguimiento del proceso de digestión anaeróbica en regimen batch de Arundo donax L., incluyendo la evaluación del cambio de escala

Jorgelina Mussi; Alejandra Marisa Manzur; Javier Alejandro Grosso; Laura Lázaro; Veronica Elizabeth Córdoba

doi:10.19137/semiarida.2025(Supl.).51-63

Jorgelina Mussi Facultad de Ingeniería de la UNICEN y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2438-2777
Alejandra Marisa Manzur Facultad de ingeniería UNICEN https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9660-1470
Javier Alejandro Grosso Facultad de Agronomía UNICEN https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6219-171X
Laura Lázaro Facultad de Agronomía UNICEN https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6160-783X
Veronica Elizabeth Córdoba Facultad de ingeniería UNICEN https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6601-7452

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19137/semiarida.2025(Supl.).51-63

Keywords:

Biomethane Potential, Lab-scale Reactor, Giant Reed

Abstract

The utilization of perennial energy crops such as Arundo donax L., with high productivity and low input requirements, has attracted interest as a sustainable alternative for bioenergy generation. In this context, the treatment of biomass through anaerobic digestion has increased, driven by the assessment of the main benefits associated with this technology as an effective strategy for converting organic matter into energy in the form of biogas. This study evaluated the anaerobic digestion of Arundo donax L. in a temperature-controlled batch reactor with a working volume of 7 L, operated under mesophilic conditions and using sludge from a wastewater treatment plant as inoculum. The process was assessed by monitoring physicochemical parameters in the reactor and quantifying biomethane production. In parallel, a standardized assay was performed to determine the Biomethane Potential (BMP) of the biomass. The results showed a BMP of 220.07 ± 2.7 mL CH₄ g VS^-1, while the specific biomethane production in the batch reactor reached 131.60 mL CH₄ g VS^-1, representing a 40 % reduction attributable to process scaling. This discrepancy may be associated with factors such as mixing efficiency, mass transfer limitations, or the actual biodegradability of the biomass under operational conditions. The monitored physicochemical parameters confirmed the stability of the process, indicating that the system operated under controlled conditions without signs of inhibition.

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Author Biographies

Jorgelina Mussi, Facultad de Ingeniería de la UNICEN y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Jorgelina Mussi is a Chemical Engineer, graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at UNICEN, and since 2023, a Ph.D. student in Engineering with a specialization in Chemical Technology at the same institution. She is a member of the INTELYMEC research group and works as a Full-Time Teaching Assistant in the Chemical Engineering and Food Technology degree programs.

She participates in R&D projects related to the valorization of lignocellulosic waste and the production of bioenergy through anaerobic digestion. She has co-supervised undergraduate research fellowships, published scientific articles, and presented work at conferences.

Alejandra Marisa Manzur, Facultad de ingeniería UNICEN

He has been a faculty member at the institution for 19 years. He currently holds a full-time teaching position in the area of Applied Technologies for Industrial Processes within the Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, serving as Senior Teaching Assistant in the courses Chemical Processes I, Chemical Processes II, and Process Laboratory. He is a Category V Researcher and a member of the Bioenergy Research Line of the INTELYMEC group, working on the project "Modeling the kinetics of biogas production from plant-based biomass through anaerobic digestion processes." His work contributes tools for simulating future energy scenarios and for developing a low-carbon and more sustainable energy matrix by identifying technological needs.

He actively participates in research projects related to the topic of Bioenergy within the INTELYMEC group. In terms of human resource development, he has mentored scholarship holders and has served on evaluation committees for final thesis projects. He is also actively involved in Extension activities. He has authored scientific and technical publications presented at national and international conferences, as well as in scientific journals.

Since 2023, he has been responsible for the Pilot Plant at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of Olavarría. Institutionally, he is engaged in activities of the Academic Council of the Chemical Engineering degree program.

From 1997 to 2002, he worked as a Process Engineer at a Juice and Soft Drinks Plant.

Javier Alejandro Grosso, Facultad de Agronomía UNICEN

Javier Alejandro Grosso is an Agronomist, graduated from the Faculty of Agronomy in Azul (UNCPBA), where he also earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences with a specialization in Environment and Natural Resources. He was a fellow of the Scientific Research Commission (CIC) and currently serves as an Associate Professor with a full-time appointment in the area of Agricultural Machinery in the Agronomic Engineering program, and in Agricultural Production in the Agricultural Management degree program, both at the Faculty of Agronomy, UNCPBA.

He actively participates in research projects related to precision agriculture, site-specific management, efficient input use, soil compaction, and the development of technologies applied to agricultural production, including the incorporation of second-generation energy crops. He has led and collaborated on research and extension projects and has authored scientific and technical publications presented at national and international conferences, as well as book chapters and journal articles.

In the field of human resource development, he has mentored fellows and undergraduate students, served on thesis evaluation committees, and acted as a jury member in faculty selection processes. He also engages in training activities and has participated in interdisciplinary working teams, developing outreach initiatives with the productive sector.

His institutional work includes participation in academic committees and collaboration with other academic units and institutions.

Laura Lázaro, Facultad de Agronomía UNICEN

Laura Lázaro is an Agricultural Engineer, M.Sc., and Ph.D. She has been a teaching researcher at the Faculty of Agronomy (FA) of the National University of the Center of the Province of Buenos Aires (UNCPBA) since 1992. She currently holds a tenured position as Associate Professor, responsible for the courses Cereals and Oilseeds and Foundations of Plant Production in the Agronomic Engineering program at the Faculty of Agronomy.

She holds a Category III designation in the national system for the classification of research faculty in public universities. She leads research projects related to crop production in the Pampas region and has directed or participated in over 18 research and/or extension projects. She is the head of the Wheat Industrial Quality Laboratory at the FA.

At the postgraduate level, she served as Director of the Ph.D. Program in Agricultural Sciences at FA-UNCPBA and contributes to the teaching of courses within that program. She has supervised and co-supervised numerous undergraduate theses, postgraduate dissertations, and student research or training fellowships.

She has published scientific articles in national and international journals and has presented a significant number of papers at conferences, symposia, and workshops. In terms of institutional management, she is the Director of CIISAS (Integrated Research Center on Sustainable Agronomic Systems, FA-UNCPBA) and formerly served as Head of the Department of Plant Production at the same Faculty of Agronomy.

Veronica Elizabeth Córdoba, Facultad de ingeniería UNICEN

Verónica Córdoba is a Chemical Engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Science and Technology with a specialization in Chemistry from the National University of San Martín. She serves as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the National University of the Center of the Province of Buenos Aires (UNCPBA), teaching in the Chemical Engineering and Food Technology programs. She is an Assistant Researcher at CONICET, and her research focuses on the energy recovery from waste and biomass through anaerobic digestion processes.

She has participated in over 15 research projects, serving as principal investigator in 4 and co-investigator in 2. She has extensive experience in supervising and co-supervising undergraduate thesis projects and research scholarships for students. She has published in national and international scientific journals and has presented numerous works at conferences, symposiums, and workshops.

At the institutional level, she is the academic coordinator of the Diploma Program in Renewable Energies and Sustainable Development at the same faculty.

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