Electroporation of harvest residues for enhanced biogas production in anaerobic co-digestion with dairy cow manure

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 274; pp. 215 - 224
• Main Authors: Kovačić, Đurđica, Kralik, Davor, Rupčić, Slavko, Jovičić, Daria, Spajić, Robert, Tišma, Marina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2019
• Subjects: Biogas; Electroporation; Energy balance; Harvest residues; Lignocellulose; Energy balance; Electroporation; Biogas; Lignocellulose; Harvest residues
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.11.086

[Display omitted] •A novel method of lignocellulose pretreatment by electroporation was developed.•SEM analysis revealed structural changes in harvest residues after pretreatment.•Electroporation improved anaerobic co-digestion of harvest residues.•A positive energy balance was achieved. The aim of this research was to develop a method for pretreatment of lignocellulose (LC) substrates (harvest residues (HR)) via electroporation (EP) for the purpose of improving the biogas production process. In addition, pretreated LC substrates were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the energy balance of the total process was calculated. After the conducted pretreatment and anaerobic co-digestion with dairy cow manure (DCM), the statistical data analysis showed statistically significant differences in biogas and/or methane yield for all three LC substrates and their fractions. It was concluded that, after the pretreatment of LC substrates via EP, it is possible to improve the anaerobic co-digestion process and to achieve positive energy balance of the total process.