Termites are detritivores, which means that by consuming decomposing organic matter they obtain nutrients. By feeding on cellulose matter, termites generate methane. Waste energy content offers good opportunities to generate low-cost and available energy. This can help increase energy access and reduce energy poverty in Africa. This work helps to determine the rate of gas production by termites when fed with maize cob. A simulated environment was created for Macrotermes Subhyhalinus Sp. of termites made with optically transparent polycarbonate material (plexiglas). Methane emission from termites' simulated environment was monitored with the use of a gas flow meter. The termites' production rate was highest at dry temperature 28.07 o C with RH of 88.30%, and 0.630µg/termite/day flow rate was recorded form their simulated laboratory environment. The cellulose in maize shaft/cob is in the native state and the chemical composition not inhibited by processing; this led to the relatively high consumption and overall production rate of termites when they fed on it because maize cob was easier to digest.
<p><strong>Aim</strong>: A comparative study of biogas production from three soluble solid wastes was conducted under anaerobic conditions by subjecting each waste to both conventional and electrolyzed digesters. <strong>Methodology and Results</strong>: Varying weight of each of the waste was mixed thoroughly with water and fed into five digesters. Three of these digesters were electrolytically-enhanced while the other two were not. The digestion of each of the wastes was monitored for 40 days at an ambient temperature ranging from 24 to 35oC. In all the digesters, biogas production started on the day 2, and attained maximum value on day 14 to17. Biogas production ended on the day 34 and 35 in digester 1a, 1b, 2a and 2b with production ending earliest in digester 3 containing wastewater on day 19. The highest biogas was produced in digester 2b containing electrolyzed digester loaded with poultry droppings) with a cumulative volume percentage of 91.41 as compared to its conventional state with a cumulative volume percentage of 85.19 and both states of the cow dung waste with cumulative volume percentages of 77.26 and 71.64 respectively. The least production occurred in digester 3 with a cumulative volume percentage of 4.59. <strong>Conclusion, significance and impact study</strong>: It is therefore concluded that poultry droppings has the greatest potentials for the generation of biogas as compared to cow dung in conventional and electrolyzed state and wastewater.</p>
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.