This work aimed to evaluate the anaerobic biodigestion process by using swine manure with and without separation of the solid fraction and considering different hydraulic retention times. For such purpose semi continual plug flow biodigestors were used, with residual water from a pig farm with and without separation of the solid fraction, managed with 36; 29; 22 e 15 days of hydraulic retention. Efficiency of the treatments was evaluated by the reduction of the most probable number of total and fecal coliforms, fiber content, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands, besides the biogas and methane production potential and biofertilizer quality. The separation of the solid fraction decreased in fiber content from effluents, what contributed to an increase in the efficiency in the methane production. The observed values were: 0.47 and 0.75 m³ CH4 kg-1 VS added to the effluent with and without separation of the solid fraction respectively, in the HRT of 15 days. With the increase of HRT there was a medium increase of 50% in the production of potential of methane kg-1 VS added. It was not observed significant differences in reduction of fecal and total coliforms. The largest reduction was 3.6 10(9) to 3.6 10² NMP 100 mL-1 for the 36 days HRT.
coliforms; total solids; HRT; swine manure
