Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test

Owing to the continued global environmental crisis, wastewater treatment is seen with great potential to limit the demand on freshwater usage while contributing to depletion of global warming with alternative source of renewable energy. Thus, in the wastewater settings, anaerobic digestion (AD) redu...

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Main Authors: Gloria Amo-Duodu, Sudesh Rathilal, Martha Noro Chollom, Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
Series:Scientific African
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227621000326
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author Gloria Amo-Duodu
Sudesh Rathilal
Martha Noro Chollom
Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh
author_facet Gloria Amo-Duodu
Sudesh Rathilal
Martha Noro Chollom
Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh
author_sort Gloria Amo-Duodu
collection DOAJ
description Owing to the continued global environmental crisis, wastewater treatment is seen with great potential to limit the demand on freshwater usage while contributing to depletion of global warming with alternative source of renewable energy. Thus, in the wastewater settings, anaerobic digestion (AD) reduces organic pollutants while generating green energy in the form of biogas. However, AD is a relatively slow microbial–based process, which has become a major challenge to produced methane–enriched biogas. Therefore, augmentation of AD was investigated via the addition of metallic–based nanoparticles (NPs) (Fe, Cu, and Ni) at a concentration of 1 g and 2 g. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) were used to track the NPs distribution and utilisation in the post-AD digestate. A biomethane potential (BMP) technique was employed with 1 L Duran schott bottles. This was operated at a working volume of 0.8 L (0.3 L inoculum and 0.5 L wastewater), hydraulic retention time of 10 days and mesophilic temperature 40 °C. The wastewater treatability performance showed over 65% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity and colour. The NP additives showed a synergetic effect on biogas production as it hinged on the NPs type and concentration (1 g Fe-NPs > 2 g FeNiCu-NPs > 1 g Cu-NPs > 2 g Cu-NPs > 1 g Ni-NPs > 2 g Ni-NPs > 2 g Fe-NPs). Usage of 1 g of Fe NPs balanced the nutrient supply of the microbes, which increased the biogas production (by 75% >3 mL/d of the control) with 100% methane composition. The prospects of Fe-based NPs seems very promising and industrially worthy for wastewater treatment and bioenergy production. This warrants future research into NPs recovery and reuse as a way of mitigating its economic viability and environmental risk.
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spelling doaj.art-940e7e5fcfb244f38685765a7ad4cd7f2022-12-21T22:52:45ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762021-07-0112e00728Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential testGloria Amo-Duodu0Sudesh Rathilal1Martha Noro Chollom2Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh3Green Engineering and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South AfricaGreen Engineering and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South AfricaGreen Engineering and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South AfricaCorresponding author.; Green Engineering and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South AfricaOwing to the continued global environmental crisis, wastewater treatment is seen with great potential to limit the demand on freshwater usage while contributing to depletion of global warming with alternative source of renewable energy. Thus, in the wastewater settings, anaerobic digestion (AD) reduces organic pollutants while generating green energy in the form of biogas. However, AD is a relatively slow microbial–based process, which has become a major challenge to produced methane–enriched biogas. Therefore, augmentation of AD was investigated via the addition of metallic–based nanoparticles (NPs) (Fe, Cu, and Ni) at a concentration of 1 g and 2 g. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) were used to track the NPs distribution and utilisation in the post-AD digestate. A biomethane potential (BMP) technique was employed with 1 L Duran schott bottles. This was operated at a working volume of 0.8 L (0.3 L inoculum and 0.5 L wastewater), hydraulic retention time of 10 days and mesophilic temperature 40 °C. The wastewater treatability performance showed over 65% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity and colour. The NP additives showed a synergetic effect on biogas production as it hinged on the NPs type and concentration (1 g Fe-NPs > 2 g FeNiCu-NPs > 1 g Cu-NPs > 2 g Cu-NPs > 1 g Ni-NPs > 2 g Ni-NPs > 2 g Fe-NPs). Usage of 1 g of Fe NPs balanced the nutrient supply of the microbes, which increased the biogas production (by 75% >3 mL/d of the control) with 100% methane composition. The prospects of Fe-based NPs seems very promising and industrially worthy for wastewater treatment and bioenergy production. This warrants future research into NPs recovery and reuse as a way of mitigating its economic viability and environmental risk.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227621000326Anaerobic digestionBiomethane potential (BMP)Biogaschemical oxygen demandFerro magnetiteNanoparticles
spellingShingle Gloria Amo-Duodu
Sudesh Rathilal
Martha Noro Chollom
Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh
Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
Scientific African
Anaerobic digestion
Biomethane potential (BMP)
Biogas
chemical oxygen demand
Ferro magnetite
Nanoparticles
title Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
title_full Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
title_fullStr Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
title_full_unstemmed Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
title_short Application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
title_sort application of metallic nanoparticles for biogas enhancement using the biomethane potential test
topic Anaerobic digestion
Biomethane potential (BMP)
Biogas
chemical oxygen demand
Ferro magnetite
Nanoparticles
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227621000326
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AT marthanorochollom applicationofmetallicnanoparticlesforbiogasenhancementusingthebiomethanepotentialtest
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