Anaerobic digestion of citrus peel waste and wastewater for hydrogen production in a continuous leach bed reactor subjected to different organic load. Metagenome

The application of the leach bed reactor (LBR) configuration has shown to be a promising alternative for the anaerobic digestion of residues with high solids content, making it possible to overcome some inconveniences identified in the use of other kinds of commonly used reactors. The LBR was operated for a long period, employing the strategy of replacing the fixed bed of waste to maintain the conditions of percolation of the feed and recirculation of the leachate, distinguishing four different operational phases differentiated by the increase in the concentration of carbohydrates in the feed, and by the reduction of the hydraulic retention time (HRT).