BIOGAS PRODUCTION THROUGH ANAEROBIC CODIGESTION, MONODIGESTION OF PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT, POULTRY LITTER AND COW DUNG

Abstract

The growing impact of global warming, largely attributed to the reliance on non-renewable energy sources, has led the energy industry to explore cleaner and more sustainable alternatives. Among these options, bio-methane stands out as a viable renewable energy source due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In Nigeria, palm oil mills generate large amounts of organic waste, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. A major by-product of this industry, palm oil mill effluent (POME), can be converted into bio-methane through anaerobic digestion, which offers potential for generating electricity, heat, and fuel.This study investigates the potential of POME as a feedstock for bio-methane production using anaerobic digestion techniques. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness of mono-digestion (using POME alone) versus co-digestion (mixing POME with other organic materials like poultry litter and cow dung). A 60-day experiment was conducted under mesophilic conditions, where two groups, labelled A and B, were established using 1000 mL Buchner flasks as digesters.Various mixtures of POME with cow dung and poultry litter were tested. The most effective results were observed from a 4:1 ratio of POME to cow dung and the combination with poultry litter, both yielding up to 1000mL of biomethane—surpassing the yields from mono-digestion setups. During the study, critical parameters such as total solids, volatile solids, ammonium nitrogen levels, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), moisture content, and pH were analysed.The findings suggest that co-digestion of POME, especially with animal waste, significantly enhances bio-methane production. Given Nigeria’s abundant supply of organic waste and naturally favourable mesophilic conditions, this method presents a promising and sustainable energy solution.