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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349258
Research Project: Developing Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Management Practices for the Use of Animal Manure

Location: Food Animal Environmental Systems Research

Title: Enzymatic pre-treatment of high content cellulosic feedstock improves biogas production

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

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2018
Publication Date: 7/29/2018
Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Ruiz-Aguilar, G., Loughrin, J.H. 2018. Enzymatic pre-treatment of high content cellulosic feedstock improves biogas production. ASABE Annual International Meeting. Paper No. 1801339.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal wastes with high lignin and cellulosic contents can serve as the feedstock for biogas production (mainly methane) that could be used as alternative energy source. However, these high lignin and cellulosic feedstocks are quite recalcitrant to be readily utilized by methanogens to produce beneficial biogas, methane. Therefore, a pre-treatment is necessary to breakdown these lignin and cellulosic materials for better methanogenesis. In this study, an evaluation of methane production from animal wastes and crop residues with high lignin and cellulosic contents was carried out. Aerobic and anaerobic batch reactors containing different mixtures of fungal enzymes and recalcitrant feedstocks were set up to evaluate methane potential. Biogas productions were sampled and monitored by gas chromatography and photoacoustic gas analyzer. The results showed that more methane production was observed from feedstocks with enzymatic pre-treatment. Thus, biological pre-treatment of recalcitrant feedstock helps improve methanogenesis.