Mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of cow manure with three-phase olive mill solid waste

ABSTRACT

The biogas production potential of different mixtures of cow manure (CM) and three-phase olive mill solid waste (3POMSW) at 37°C was evaluated. Results showed that 3POMSW produced more methane yield than CM. In the anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) methane yield increased with increasing of 3POMSW content, the maximum methane yield was observed at 3POMSW:CM ratio of 3:1. Addition of an enzyme mixture (Celluclast, Pulpzyme HC, Sherazyme, Novozym 342, and Resinase A 2X) to the 1:1 mixture increased the quantity and quality of biogas production and reduced the retention time required to achieve a high rate of biodegradation. Therefore, AcoD with enzymes was an effective way to improve the methane yield of 3POMSW and CM.

KEYWORDS:

• Anaerobic co-digestion
• three-phase olive mill solid waste
• cow manure
• enzymes
• methane yield

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by OeAD, the Austrian agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science, and research and by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. And we thank Prof. Dr. Martin Wendland for his comments that greatly improved the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the EZA-Project 894/05 (financed out of means of the Austrian Development Cooperation