Effect of Co-Digestion on Anaerobic Digestion of Cattle Slurry with Maize Cob at Mesophilic Temperature

Abstract

Attempt was made to determine the effect of co-digestion on anaerobic digestion of cattle slurry (CS) with maize cob (MC). The experiment was carried out in a laboratory scale batch experiment. Cow Slurry and Maize Cobs were co-digested at ratios 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 using the percentage volatile solid of each substrate. Co-digestion of CS with MC at 3:1, 1:1 and 3:1 under mesophilic temperature (37^oC) gave biogas yields of 453.38, 417.30 and 428.92 l_N/kgoDM respectively while the methane yields were 334.18, 323.63 and 323.27 l_NCH₄/kgoDM respectively. Methane concentrations of 73.71, 77.55 and 75.37% were obtained at CS: MC combinations of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 respectively. The study revealed that co-digesting CS with MC at ratio 3:1 is optimum for biogas production.

Keywords: co-digestion, cattle slurry, maize cob, batch experiment, mesophilic temperature