This research, conducted in two experiments, focused on the effect of co-digestion and combined hydrothermal with milling pretreatment of paper waste (PW) and chicken manure (CM) on biogas production. In the first experiment, three reactors labeled B-D contained varying ratios of the feedstock (4:1, 3:2, 1:1) with control reactors A and E respectively containing milled paper waste (MPW) and chicken manure (CM) alone were prepared and assessed for biogas production. In the second experiment, the optimum co-digested mixture (reactor D) with a ratio of 1:1 and cumulative biogas volume (633.5mL/gVS) was selected from the first experiment and duplicated (reactor F) for the hydrothermal pretreatment. All digesters were operated at a temperature of 45oC for 32 days. The results revealed that reactor F, which contained the hydrothermally pretreated paper waste, showed a significant cumulative biogas yield of 1095.5 mL/gVS which was 1.7 times higher, surpassing control reactor D with a yield of 633.5 mL/gVS. Bacterial isolates present in the substrates and inoculum belonged to the following genera: Staphylococcus (50%), Lactobacillus (22.2%), Micrococcus (16.7%), and Bacillus (11.1%). The research outcome showed that co-digestion combined with hydrothermal pretreatment method led to enhanced biogas production. These results highlight how creative pretreatment methods can optimize waste-to-energy operations, supporting both renewable energy production and sustainable waste management.
Read full abstract