Enhancing methane production by anaerobic co-digestion of extruded organic wastes from slaughterhouse and vegetable market in batch and continuous processes

authored by: Velusamy Mozhiarasi, Rajan Balakumar, Pious Michealammal Benish Rose, Christopher Josef Speier, Dirk Weichgrebe, Shanmugham Venkatachalam Srinivasan, Rengasamy Suthanthararajan
Abstract: Abstract: The organic wastes generated from centralized wholesale markets from urban centres are predominantly disposed in dumpsites/landfills. Although anaerobic digestion (AD) of wastes is a promising option for producing bio-fuel, the key barrier is the limitation in the waste conversion efficiency that demands the need for the organic waste pretreatment. Hence, the extrusion pre-treatment of wastes prior to AD of slaughterhouse wastes (ESHW) with mixed vegetable, fruit and flower market wastes (EVMW), from a centralized-wholesale market in an urban area, was studied in batch and continuous AD processes. Batch experiments were carried out in mono- and co-digestion modes of extruded wastes. The results of the batch study revealed maximum specific methane yield of 354.9 mL_N/g oDM during anaerobic co-digestion of extruded slaughterhouse wastes with mixed vegetable, fruit and flower market wastes in 1:3 proportion (ESHW/EVMW). Based on these results, lab-scale continuous reactor study (15 L) at varying organic loading rates (OLR) was carried out and the maximum biogas yield of 618.5 mL_N/g oDM with a methane content of 62.6% and energy potential of 12.2 MJ/kg DM was obtained for extruded wastes at an OLR of 2.5 g oDM/L/d (E) when compared with non-extruded wastes that showed biogas potential of 503.7 mL_N/g oDM (with energy potential of 10.2 MJ/kg DM). The outcome of the study revealed that extrusion pretreatment along with anaerobic co-digestion resulted in an increase in the biogas production therein showing enhancement in green energy production during anaerobic co-treatment of centralized wholesale market and slaughterhouse wastes in urban centres. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
Organisation(s): Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Waste Management
External Organisation(s): Central Leather Research Institute
Type: Article
Journal: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy
Volume: 23
Pages: 2727-2740
No. of pages: 14
ISSN: 1618-954X
Publication date: 11.2021
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02198-6 (Access: Closed)