Biogas production from protein-rich animal industry wastes is technically not feasible although these substrates have very high biogas potential. These organic waste and side product materials are currently not used in biogas fermenters because of the toxic effect on microbes by the ammonia that is released as a fermentation by-product. The literature strongly recommends against the use of protein-based materials as a substrate in biogas reactors. Researchers at the University of Szeged have developed an effective solution to this problem. These researchers have adapted a new culture mixture of bacteria for protein degradation in fed-batch operated biogas reactors – bacteria capable of withstanding a high concentration of ammonia.
This community produces significant quantities of biogas in fed-batch operation either exclusively or almost entirely from the protein-based substrate.