Biodegradation of Cellulose-Containing Substrates by Micromycetes Followed by Bioconversion into Biogas

Abstract

The ability of micromycetes Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus terreus to decompose the cellulosecontaining substrates was studied. Office paper and cardboard, as well as a paper mixture, were found to be the most hydrolyzable. The cellulolytic activity of T. viride was 2–3 times higher than that of A. terreus; the highest values of 0.80 and 0.73 U/mL were obtained from office paper and the mixture of different types of paper, respectively. The micromycete cultivation conditions (composition of culture medium, sucrose cosubstrate addition, seeding technique) and the conditions of the fungus biomass treatment for its subsequent bioconversion into biogas by anaerobic microbial communities were optimized. It was shown that pretreatment improves the efficiency of biogas production from lignocellulosic materials when inoculated with microbial community of cattle manure. After pretreatment of the Jerusalem artichoke phytomass (stems and leaves) and its subsequent bioconversion into biogas by methanogenic community, the biogas yield was increased by1.5 times.