Anaerobic co-digestion of pressmud with vegetable waste in batch reactor for enhanced biogas production

Abstract

This study investigates the co-digestion of pressmud, a residue from sugarcane processing, and vegetable waste, with cow dung serving as the inoculum. The aim is to explore the potential of this tripartite mixture to enhance biogas production, streamline waste management, and contribute to sustainable energy generation. In recent years, the escalating concerns surrounding environmental sustainability and waste management have prompted significant research into innovative and eco-friendly approaches. Anaerobic co-digestion has a potential to enhance biogas yields beyond what is achievable with individual substrates. The complementary nature of diverse organic materials can stimulate microbial activity, leading to increased methane production. Additionally, co-digestion can alleviate challenges associated with certain substrates, such as the presence of inhibitory compounds or imbalanced nutrient ratios, by leveraging the compensatory attributes of other materials. The anaerobic co-digestion was carried out through the substrate and inoculum ration of 1:1. The digestion of pressmud and vegetable waste was carried out at different ratio of PM:VW (100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, 0:100) in one litre reagent bottle. The batch study was conducted for the period of 30 days. The methane gas was measured directly by passing the biogas into the alkaline solution by water displacement method. The effect of pH was noted throughout the study. Results shows that least methane yield was obtained in the ration 50:50 (PM: VW) and maximum methane yield was obtained in the 30:70 (PM: VW).