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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252307
Title: Effect of Poultry Litter on Biomethanation from Swine Slurry

Author
item Lovanh, Nanh
item Loughrin, John
item RUIZ-AGUILAR, GRACIELA - University Of Guanajuato
item Sistani, Karamat

Submitted to: Waste to Fuels Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2010
Publication Date: 4/18/2010
Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Loughrin, J.H., Ruiz-Aguilar, G., Sistani, K.R. 2010. Effect of Poultry Litter on Biomethanation from Swine Slurry. Waste to Fuels Conference. No page number.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal wastes can serve as the feedstock for biogas production (mainly methane) that could be used as alternative energy source. The green energy derived from animal wastes is considered to be carbon neutral and offsetting those generated from fossil fuels. In this study, an evaluation of methane production from swine slurry amended with poultry litter was carried out. Anaerobic batch reactors containing different mixtures of swine and poultry litters were set up to evaluate methane potential from each scenario. Biogas productions were sampled and monitored by gas chromatography and photoacoustic gas analyzer. The results showed that methane productions increased as the solid concentrations (poultry litter) increased. Rice-hull litter provided a better substrate for methane production than wood-chip litter. In addition, methane productions were the greatest when non-sterile swine waste was used. Methane productions were more than several times greater from reactors with swine waste amended with poultry litter than the ones with swine waste only and sterile swine waste. There was no methane production in the sterile control. Thus, it appears that poultry litter is necessary to increase methane production from swine waste anaerobic digester. Poultry litter appears to provide an additional substrate and microbes for biomethanation in an otherwise diluted swine waste for optimum methane production.