Abstract:
Production of biogas through anaerobic digestion of organic waste materials provides an
alternative environmentally friendly renewable energy. Water hyacinth is one of the fastest
growing aquatic weed known to man. The objective of this study was to determine biogas yield
using water hyacinth as a sole substrate and co- digestion with poultry dropping. Anaerobic
digestion (AD) was done using the two substrates in five mix ratio was evaluated under
mesophilic conditions (380C) using a batch digester in laboratory, but it should be carried out
at room temperature (200C) and at thermopilic condition (550C). In all treatments, total solid,
volatile solid, organic carbon, and pH were measured before and after AD. The daily biogas
production was subsequently measured by water displacement method for 31days. All
measured physico-chemical parameters of each substrate were significantly varied between
before and after AD, p<5%. Gas production was noticed in all of the substrate types from the
first day of digestion experiment and became zero on 31 days in all substrates. Assessment of
cumulative biogas production revealed that substrate in a mix ratio of 75% Eichhornia
crassipes and 25% poultry dropping showed the highest biogas production, suggesting this
mix ratio of the two substrates is in an optimal mix to yield better amount of biogas. Overall
results indicate that the increment of biogas yield and VS, and TS reduction can be
significantly enhanced when EC and poultry dropping are co-digested.
