This dissertation investigates the fermentative production of biohydrogen and biomethane. The highest H2-production values up to 280 NL H2/kg VSS were achieved using the substrates fodder-, sugar beet, maize and potato. Compared to conventional biogas plants, the estimated energy recovery of the combinated H2- and CH4-production is approx. 25 % higher so that the process is a promising method of environmentally friendly and sustainable energy production from biomass or biowaste. Further advantages are the efficient, low-emission and manifold utilisation options of hydrogen in fuel cells.

Within this thesis an odour management strategy has been invented, aiming at effective and reliable solutions for specific odour emissions problems with minimum expenses. The concept covers the whole scenario from the odour assessment including a thorough characterization of all emissions source to the technical reduction of odorous emissions. For the characterization of odour emissions a new odour-index method has been developed and applied to various sources. The development and optimization of mobile test systems allow a first evaluation of potentially suitable odour treatment methods for a specific odour emission problem with quite handy equipment. Taking an oil and fat refinery as an example, the odour management strategy has successfully been applied. For the main emissions source, which resulted from the deacidification process, the odorous key substances have been identified, and a suitable treatment system has been designed. Finally, all findings resulting from this work have been fed into a self-designed odour specific data base.

Nitrogen household during composting – balances, contents, turnover-, and release processes Some N-compounds have a huge resource potential especially if used in agri- and horticulture culture for fertilization. On the other, N-compounds may also lead to strong negative environmental impacts. In the present book, the N-compounds as well as their behavior and changes during composting are described. On the basis of technical scale investigations N-turn-overs and -releases were determined and N-balances generated. Based on this, universally valid principles and models were formulated considering the depend-ency on influencing factors such as substrate composition, degradation stage, water content, pH-value, tem-perature, and gas composition. The occurring processes - ammonification, nitrification, denitrification, immobilisation - are described and discussed. The results allow the evaluation of composting in the context of the global N-household. They also can be used for the development of innovative processes, e.g. for fertilizer production from biowaste and for N-emissions minimisation strategies.

The odor emissions of a coffee processing company were reduced applying a fixed bed adsorber pilot plant. In order to evaluate the performance, breakthrough curves were determined using a flame ionization detector, portable electronic noses, olfactometry and analytical methods. The analytic identification of odorants and pollutants was carried out via enrichment on Tenax TA and on SPME fibers. Several odorants were identified, which determine the overall olfactory sensation. Furthermore the breakthrough behavior of different adsorbents was characterized. The olfactometric concept was applied first-time for the electronic noses.