Biogas Generation from Co-Digestion Waste Systems: The Role of Water Hyacinth

Abstract

Using biomass as a renewable energy source has earned tremendous interest from researchers in recent decades, especially because the technology is environmentally benign. This article reviews the recent methods for generating biogas from water hyacinth (WH, Eichornia crassipes), arguably the world’s most evasive aquatic macrophyte. Therefore, various economic, environmentally benign, and renewable procedures that enhance biogas production from WH biomass are reviewed. WH has been co-digested with numerous waste types, including poultry droppings, municipal wastes, animal tissue wastes, pig wastes, cow dungs, etc., recording varying success degrees. Other studies focused on optimizing the operation parameters, such as mixing ratio, contact time, pH, temperature, organic loading rate, etc. We observed that most attempts to generate biogas from WH alone were not promising. However, when co-digested with other biomasses or wastes, WH either increases the process rate or improves the methane yield content. Also, the potential of WH as a phytoremdiator-cum-biogas source was investigated. This chapter provides mathematical models, scale-up installation models, and specific experimental results from various studies to guide future study plans toward optimizing CH4 generation from WH co-digestion.

Advancements and Innovations in Harnessing Microbial Processes for Enhanced Biogas Production from Waste Materials

“…The biomass of Eichornia crassipes (water hyacinth), which is one of the most evasive macrophytes, is extensively used in biogas production as co-metabolite with poultry waste, industrial effluents, cow dung, animal wastes etc. [87]. The type of condition in a reactor and the mixing proportion of the substrates also regulate the concentration of methane production; for example, when corn stover is digested with chicken manure in three physiological conditions viz.…”

The Multifaceted Function of Water Hyacinth in Maintaining Environmental Sustainability and the Underlying Mechanisms: A Mini Review

“…Thus, the microbiome changed along with the alternations of these parameters during AD [ 133 , 134 ]. To further enhance sustainability, WH is often co-digested with other plant biomass, animal dung and other wastes [ 135 , 136 ]. The co-digestion could increase biofuel yield, most likely because the mixed substance contains nutrients at a more suitable C/N ratio and consequentially provides a more suitable pH and temperature, thereby favoring the growth of microbial consortiums [ 135 , 137 ].…”

Investigating the Anaerobic Digestion of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Sourced from Hartbeespoort Dam in South Africa

“…The substrate's capacity to produce biomethane under anaerobic conditions is called its biomethane potential (BMP). Among the current challenges surrounding the AD of water hyacinth are the wide variations of BMPs reported in literature ranging from 75 to 360 L/kgTS [3]. A number of investigations on the effects of pretreatments on water hyacinth's BMP have been conducted and there is no agreement between the published BMP results.…”