Abstract:
An in-depth study was conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effect of copper sulfate (CuSO₄) at various doses, ranging from 7.8 to 88.4 mg, in batch reactors known as BMP tests. The results showed that the optimal dose of 14.1 mg allows for maximum microbial stimulation without causing toxicity. However, when the CuSO₄ concentration reaches 35.54 mg, a gradual decrease in biogas production is observed compared to the tests without CuSO₄.
This decline becomes even more pronounced at higher doses, such as 70.7 mg and 88.4 mgRegarding methane (CH₄) production, it follows a similar trend to the overall biogas volume. At low Cu²⁺ concentrations, methane production increases, indicating optimal activity of methanogenic bacteria. In contrast, at higher doses, the methane concentration drops significantly, which is attributed to biological inhibition
These findings highlight the importance of monitoring heavy metal concentrations in anaerobic digestion systems to optimize biogas and methane production while ensuring the efficiency of organic waste treatment processes.
