Anaerobic Digestion of Macrophytes Algae for Eutrophication Mitigation and Biogas Production

Abstract

An economy based on biofuels requires production methods which are economically and technically competitive. The production of biogas from biomass by microorganisms is an attractive and ambitious possibility. Marine and lake algae represents a biomass source that could be used for biogas production and their extraction is of benefit for the aquatic environment reducing eutrophication. The goal of the experimental work is to evaluate the algae biomass naturally present in lagoon environment and analyze the biogas resulting from the anaerobic digestion. The Biomethane Potential (BMP) of macrophytes with inoculums from a sewage sludge treatment plant was measured at the University of Perugia. The CH4 content of biogas was approximately 52%, cumulative CH4 yield of 217 Nm3 /t SV was observed after 41 days of digestion.