Developments in Anaerobic Digestion

Selected Papers from the 8th Latin American Congress and Workshop on Anaerobic Digestion, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, 2-5 October 2005. Since the first event in 1990, the scope of the Latin American Anaerobic Digestion Workshop-Congress series has developed and expanded. In consequence, the event has grown both in the number of people who participate and in its impact on academic and technological fields. This development has reinforced the original conviction that the Latin American region could generate knowledge and develop technology that was of demonstrable value not only in Latin America, but also for the rest of the world. The 8th Congress demonstrated this global applicability with a high-quality scientific and technical programme from which 35 have been selected following a full peer review. Topics covered include: microbiological aspects and molecular biology; modelling and control of anaerobic digesters; new technologies and process development; specific applications and xenobiotic compounds; pre and post-treatment for anaerobic digesters; anaerobic digestion of sludge and solid wastes; and full-scale experiences. These papers will be an essential reference for research scientists and environmental engineers, whether working on the fundamentals of anaerobic digestion or on its applications to waste and wastewater treatment.