Agricultural Wastes 17 (1986) 81-82

Conference Report

SUCCESSFUL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION SYMPOSIUM IN CHINA

The Fourth International Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion, held in Guangzhou, China, from 11 to 15 November, 1985, attracted more than a hundred foreign attendees and about 250 Chinese attendees. The technical sessions were exceptionally intensive and generated excellent exchange and discussion. The opportunity to learn about anaerobic digestion technology in China was exploited extensively. Papers included a general survey, evaluations of the local impact of digestion technology, analysis of economic feasibility, descriptions of industrial waste treat- ment and environmental protection efforts--all specifically concerned with Chinese experience. These were amplified by visits to two communi- ties with active programs of energy recovery and pollution control through swine manure digestion. The special insight into activity in China was balanced by thorough review of the status and thrust of technology around the world.

In a session on science and fundamentals, progress to date and prospects for genetic manipulation of methanogens were favorably reported. The morphology of bacterial aggregates and distribution of active solids in digesters received attention from several aspects. The nature of toxic effects on digesters and the expectations of limitations from toxicity were clearly elucidated, The utility of antibodies against methanogens to identify and assay cultures was presented.

81

Agricultural Wastes (17) (1986)--© Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1986. Printed in Great Britain

82 Conference report

A number of papers continued the exposition of new digester designs. These presentations advanced the fundamental understanding of functions, as well as reporting on the full scale application of new digester technology. The broad utility of anaerobic digestion to many substrates was further confirmed, although no exceptional new substrates were described.

The quality of the poster presentations at Guangzhou was outstanding. The value of the posters has been preserved by printing an abstract of each in the Symposium Proceedings. The 720-page, hardbound printed Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Anaerobic Diges- tion contains 43 papers and 111 poster abstracts.

It is available at a cost of US$65 via surface mail or US$70 via air mail. Further information may be obtained from: General Secretary, Fourth International Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fishery, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Ralph L. Wentworth