CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF THE THEORETICAL METHANIZATION POTENTIAL OF FOOD WASTE FROM UFABC UNIVERSITY RESTAURANTS

Resumo

Anaerobic digestion of food waste represents a sustainable alternative for waste management and biogas production, contributing to the reduction of environmental impacts. This study aimed to evaluate the methanization potential of waste generated in the University Restaurants (URs) of UFABC, considering both preparation scraps and leftovers from meals, based on 61samples . The samples were characterized physicochemically through the analysis of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), fixed solids (FS), bulk densityand ultimate analysis. The results indicated an average density of 558.28 kg/m³ for dish leftovers and 340.74 kg/m³ for food preparation waste. In addition, average values of 24.8% TS, 23.4% VS, and a VS/TS ratio of 94.2% were obtained for dishes, and 12.5% TS, 10.9% VS, and a VS/TS ratio of 87.3% for preparations. The estimated theoretical methane production potential was 542.18NmL CH₄ gVS⁻¹, confirming the high organic potential of the waste.