Kulabako, R.N., Semiyaga, S., Tumwesige, R.S. et al. (6 more authors) (2025) Enhanced biogas production from water hyacinth and cow dung with wood and faecal sludge biochar. Energy Nexus, 17. 100342. ISSN 2772-4271
Abstract
Water hyacinth (WH), known for its ecotoxicity and economic burden in tropical regions, can play an important role as a lignocellulosic biomass source for biogas production. Co-digesting WH with cow dung (CD) enhances biogas yield but poses challenges like process instability and excessive carbon dioxide production. To improve biogas yield from digestion of WH and CD, this study examined the impact of wood and faecal sludge biochar on the anaerobic co-digestion of CD and WH using a temperature of 37 °C for 40 days. In the controlled laboratory tests, cow dung alone produced the least methane (CH4), but introducing 2 % wood and faecal sludge biochars significantly boosted CH4 production by 76.8 % and 94.0 %, respectively. However, a 50 % CD-50 % WH mixture, the CH4 increase was milder at 20 % and 37 %, respectively. Wood biochar had no significant effect while faecal sludge biochar made a statistically significant impact (P < 0.05). These findings offer a sustainable solution, paving the way for cost-effective and eco-friendly biogas production in regions plagued by this invasive plant. The use of faecal sludge biochar, in particular, has substantial implications for optimizing anaerobic digestion processes and reducing their environmental footprint, thereby promoting a more sustainable approach to managing WH and addressing energy needs in tropical, eutrophic regions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | Anaerobic digestion; Biogas; Faecal sludge biochar; Water hyacinth; Wood biochar |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council) BB/S011439/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 17 Jan 2025 17:03 |
Last Modified: | 17 Jan 2025 17:03 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.nexus.2024.100342 |
Related URLs: | |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:221919 |