Domestic sewage as a sustainable freshwater substitute for enhanced anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass
2024

Using Domestic Sewage for Better Biogas Production

publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Induchoodan TG, Nimitha Choran, Ajay S Kalamdhad

Primary Institution: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

Hypothesis

Can domestic sewage be used as a sustainable alternative to freshwater for anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass?

Conclusion

The study shows that using sewage instead of freshwater significantly enhances methane production in anaerobic digestion.

Supporting Evidence

  • Methane production increased by nearly 50% when using sewage compared to freshwater.
  • Sewage media resulted in significant lignin degradation, enhancing biogas production.
  • The study demonstrated that sewage can replace costly pretreatment techniques for lignocellulosic biomass.

Takeaway

This study found that using sewage instead of freshwater can help make more biogas from plants like water hyacinth and hydrilla, which is good for the environment.

Methodology

The study conducted biochemical methane potential tests using water hyacinth, pretreated water hyacinth, and hydrilla verticillata as substrates in sewage media.

Limitations

Sewage has low organic content, which may limit methane production, and additional inoculum sources are required for effective digestion.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/s41598-024-83546-6

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