Table 2.
Physicochemical features of the molasses employed in this study and of both terrestrial and marine inocula
| Parameter | Feedstock | Inocula | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw molasses | Terrestrial | Marine | |
| pH | 5.7 ± 0.2 | 7.7 ± 0.2 | 7.94 ± 0.0 |
| Conductivity (mS cm−1) | 29 ± 5 | 1.6 ± 0.5 | 19.1 ± 0.0 |
| Density (g cm−3) | 1.35 ± 0.05 | nd | nd |
| Total COD (g O2 L−1) | 440 ± 97 | 13 ± 5 | 4 ± 0.0 |
| Soluble COD (g O2 L−1) | 403 ± 12 | 7 ± 2 | 0.12 ± 0.0 |
| Total sugars COD (g O2 L−1) | 367 ± 81 | nd | nd |
| Total VFA (g O2 L−1) | 20 ± 2 | 0 | 0 |
| TKN (g N L−1) | 26.1 ± 0.8 | nd | nd |
| Total solids (TS) (g L−1) | 765 ± 6 | 12 ± 1 | 477 ± 3a |
| Volatile solids (VS) (g L−1) | 513 ± 4 | 11 ± 1 | 26 ± 1a |
Chemical analyses were conducted in two independent replicates
aUnits in g Kg−1 as marine sediment was a mixture of microorganisms with sand and sea water