Effects of sequential pretreatment of rice straw and coconut shell for improved biomethane production

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 658; no. 1; pp. 12001 - 12007
• Main Author: Magomnang, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Agricultural wastes; Biogas; Biomass; Caustic soda; Digestion; Hot water; Pretreatment; Raw materials; Rice; Sodium hydroxide; Substrates; Wastes
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/658/1/012001

This study aims to determine the effects of sequential pretreatment of selected agricultural biomass wastes in terms of biomass properties as well as its biomethane yield on the anaerobic co-digestion of wastes co-digested with various biomass feedstocks for power generation applications. This was carried out by determining the effects on the biomethane production using the two pre-treatments, that is 3% and 4% w/v of sodium hydroxide subject to ultrasonication and liquid hot water hydrolysis pretreatment for the rice straw and coconut shell feedstocks. As it will be used as substrates for the anaerobic co-digestion experiments; using digested manures as an inoculant. Results show that biomethane production increased by 140% and 290% from the pre-treatment of rice straw and coconut shells, respectively. With these, the pre-treated coconut shell subjected to Ultrasonication with 3% sodium hydroxide and liquid hot water shows the best effect among the pre-treatment of biomass feedstocks of rice straw and coconut shell at various sodium concentrations. The results of this experiment would give a viable estimate of the possible biomethane production from these agricultural wastes.