Role of proteins and soluble peptides as limiting components during the co-composting of agro-industrial wastes.

The agri-food industry is at the centre of the circular economy, since the co-composting of its residual flows allows their management and adds value producing fertilisers. In this work, six composting piles were prepared combining agri-food sludge (AS), different fresh vegetable wastes (pepper waste (P), tomato waste (T), and leek waste (L), and, as bulking agents, vine shoot pruning (VS), garlic stalks (GS) and avocado leaves (AL)). Classical physico-chemical and chemical determinations and advanced instrumental methods (excitation-emission fluorescence (EEM) and gravimetric (TG, DTG and DTA) techniques) were used and compared to assess organic matter evolution and evaluate the quality of the composts obtained. The thermal profiles of the composting processes were viable to show the stabilization of the agri-food sludge with the different materials tested in the mixtures, reaching adequate levels of stabilization of organic matter. Preferential degradation of peptides and proteins was observed by fluorescence. This seemed to induce a limitation in the biodegradation of the remaining organic matter, indicating that these biomolecules are key in composting dynamics, acting as limiting components during the process. The results from thermogravimetric analysis indicated the degradation of labile compounds (e.g., carbohydrates and proteins), the most recalcitrant material becoming predominant at the maturity stage of the composting process. The rise in the thermogravimetric parameter R2 was associated with the increase in the concentration of more refracting compounds, which need more energy for their decomposition.

A quantitative study of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production by Nannochloropsis gaditana for aquaculture as a function of dilution rate, temperature and average irradiance.

Different pilot-scale outdoor photobioreactors using medium recycling were operated in a greenhouse under different environmental conditions and the growth rates (0.1 to 0.5 day(-1)) obtained evaluated in order to compare them with traditional systems used in aquaculture. The annualized volumetric growth rate for Nannochloropsis gaditana was 0.26 g l(-1) day(-1) (peak 0.4 g l(-1) day(-1)) at 0.4 day(-1) in a 5-cm wide flat-panel bioreactor (FP-PBR). The biomass productivity achieved in this reactor was 10-fold higher than in traditional reactors, reaching values of 28 % and 45 % dry weight (d.w.) of lipids and proteins, respectively, with a 4.3 % (d.w.) content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). A model for predicting EPA productivity from N. gaditana cultures that takes into account the existence of photolimitation and photoinhibition of growth under outdoor conditions is presented. The effect of temperature and average irradiance on EPA content is also studied. The maximum EPA productivity attained is 30 mg l(-1) day(-1).

Medium recycling for Nannochloropsis gaditana cultures for aquaculture.

Nannochloropsis gaditana is a good producer of proteins and valuable fatty acids for aquaculture. Recycling of culture medium is interesting for microalgae commercial production as it cuts costs and prevents environmental contamination. The recycled medium must be sterilized to prevent the buildup of unwanted metabolites and microorganisms. We tested several sterilization methods: filtration, ozonation, chlorination, addition of hydrogen peroxide and heating. Results showed that the most successful method is ozonation lowering the bacterial load to 1.910(3)CFUs/mL, which is 1000-fold and 10-fold lower than the supernatant obtained after harvesting and the initial filtered medium, respectively. Continuous cultures of N. gaditana were grown using this recirculated supernatant. A maximum biomass productivity of 0.8 g/L/d composed of ∼50% proteins and 40% lipids with more than 3%d.w. EPA was obtained making this biomass very interesting for aquaculture.