Valorization of pineapple peel and poultry manure for clean energy generation

This study evaluated their valorization into high value-added biogas and digestate fertilizer for crop and soil improvement. AbstractThe quest for renewable energy generation is fast increasing globally due to environmental degradation by fossil fuels. The energy production from the anaerobic codigestion of pineapple peels (PPs) and poultry manure (PM) was assessed in the present study. Prior to digestion, the PPs were pretreated using a strong acid (sulfuric acid) and a low-cost mild alkali hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which was prepared via the adjustment of the pH of H2O2 to 11.5 by adding solution of 5  M NaOH. The physicochemical and structural parameters of the biomass, as well as microbial composition, were evaluated by using standard methodologies, while all structural changes to the biomass after pretreatment were determined using the Fourier transform infrared spectra. The application of al kaline H2O2 pretreatment removed 71.34% of lignin, reduced hemicellulose by 61%, but increased the cellulose content by 39%. The alkaline pretreated pineapple peel (Al-P PP) was able to produce about 91% more biogas than the acid pretreated pineapple peel (Ac-P PP) and 36% more than the two untreated biomass samples. The results of the economic assessment of pretreatment also showed that investment into the use of H2O2 for pretreatment is economically feasible with high net thermal and electrical energy gain, while that of acid pretreatment results in loses. Therefore, alkaline pret...
Source: Food and Energy Security - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research