Rice husk has the potential to be used as a source of alternative energy e.g. as biofuel. Its high lignin content, however, poses difficulty to this use. This study investigates the use of microwave assisted acidic and alkaline pretreatment methods to improve the characteristics of rice husk for energy production. The use of microwave assisted 3.5% NaOH provided optimum pretreatment of rice husk; the lignin content was reduced from 17.8 to 10.2%, the cellulose content increased from 38.6 to 59.3% and the C/N ratio was within the optimum range of 25-35. The results showed enhanced potential of biofuel production from rice husk by this pretreatment.

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Abstract—Polystyrene (PS) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) are organic and synthetic polymers. Generally, a composite needs a matrix and reinforcement. Montmorillonite (MMT) is used as reinforcement to form a hybrid matrix by ultra-sonication. Block polymers of PS and PAA were first synthesized and then hybrid nanocomposite material of synthesized block polymeric matrix was fabricated by incorporating organoclay as reinforcement through 6 and 12 hours of ultra-sonication. The characterizations of the hybrid nanocomposite material were done by UV-visible and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, which confirm the successful synthesis of PS and PAA block polymer. The UV-visible spectroscopic measurements revealed that hybrid composite material is different from PS-block-PAA and that absorbance increases on increasing concentration. After successful ultra-sonication the hybrid composite is analyzed through scan electron microscopy (SEM) regarding surface morphology, distribution, uniformity, porosity, matrix compatibility, and matrix reinforcements. Sonication (for 6 hours) demonstrates a heterogeneous porous surface and an increase in roughness and porosity of surface morphology at different optical zooms.

Poultry industry is one of the important growing poultry Industry of Pakistan, the pollution produced due to this causing serious environmental threats such as aquatic life disturbance, air, water and land pollution, pathogen contamination, bad odor, soil contamination and ammonia evaporation. This research study deals with utilization of poultry manure (PM) and buffalo dung (BD) for methane generation and enhance the generation through optimization of substrate mixing ratio and observe the effect of mesophillic condition on methane generation. The PM and BD were biochemically treated by anaerobic digestion. The mixing of P.M and B.D were carried out in ratio 3/1, 1/3 and 1/1 in 500 ml glass bottles acting as bio-reactor. The PM and BD alone were also used in different bioreactor. All the digesters have retention time of 65 days and operated at temperature of 37oC. Each digester distilled water and substrates were used in 1:1 ratio. All the digesters were operated by batch wise process. The generation of biogas from experimental work was maximum from 1:3 of P.M and B.D yield 561 Nml/gm.vs. The methane generation was also maximum in digester containing one part of P.M and three part of buffalo dung the methane generation was also maximum 66 %containing 32 % carbon dioxide. From this study we conclude that biochemical treatment of substrates mixed together in different ratios produces large quantity, quality, higher biodegradability and effective volatile solid removal from substrate.

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