Biogas production: Anaerobic digestion of food waste using cattle rumen content

Chukwuemeka Peter Ukpaka and Joshua Godwin Azuatalam

Abstract

This work aims to study the effect of inoculum dosage on anaerobic digestion of food waste using cattle rumen content, CRC, as the bio-stimulant. Four different batch runs were carried out which were  (control sample), 25% dosage, 50% dosage and 75% dosage. The results showed that increasing the inoculum dosage up to 25% led to higher biogas and methane yields respectively while the 50% dosage was slightly lower in performance; signalling a decline. A further increase in the inoculum dosage to 75% inoculation led to a sharp decline in the biogas and methane yields indicating that self-inhibition had set in. Therefore, it suffices it so say that while CRC was effective in furnishing the reacting media with the essential micro-organisms needed for optimal reaction, beyond 25% inoculation, CRC becomes counterproductive due to the presence of inhibitory substances.