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Sustainable utilization of some noxious aquatic weeds by energy recovery using high solid anaerobic digesters | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore

Sustainable utilization of some noxious aquatic weeds by energy recovery using high solid anaerobic digesters


Abstract:

One of the options on which we zeroed in was utilization of weeds for generating energy as biogas via anaerobic digestion. This study makes an attempt to utilize some nox...Show More

Abstract:

One of the options on which we zeroed in was utilization of weeds for generating energy as biogas via anaerobic digestion. This study makes an attempt to utilize some noxious aquatic weeds as a feedstock in High Solid Anaerobic Digesters (HSADs) for the recovery of energy. The specific objectives of the study were to fabricate lab scale HSADs for the digestion of organic fraction of some common noxious aquatic weeds and to evaluate the suitability of it as a feed stock in Anaerobic Digesters and the recovery of energy in terms of biogas. The findings indicate 4.873% of dry solids loss and 96.32% degradation of volatile solids at the end of the experiment for Typha latifolia with a total biogas yield of 14,175 ml and resulted into a total of 83,609 m3/m3 digester volume and 4.168% of dry solids loss and 92.46% degradation of volatile solids at the end of the experiment for Pistia stratiotes with a cumulative biogas yield of 17,570 ml and resulted into a total of 83,609 m3/m3 in 30 days. The performance of the reactors is similar with the values reported in earlier works. This waste utilization forms a sustainable solution for the management of organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Also the slurry from the bioreactor can be utilized as a bio fertilizer.
Date of Conference: 21-23 December 2017
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 28 June 2018
ISBN Information:
Conference Location: Kollam, India

I. Introduction

Weed menace is one of the persistent environmental problems faced globally. Even the most developed nations like USA and UK spend huge sum of resources not to eradicate but just to keep the spread of weed's under control. The seriousness of the weeds problem can be gauged from the fact that in Florida (USA) alone, about $20 million are spent just for keeping water hyacinth spread under control [1]. Rest of the nations throughout the world also continue with their efforts to control the weeds especially the aquatic and wetland weeds as they became major environmental nuisance for the water resources. Aquatic weeds affects primary aquatic productivity, cover the entire water surface, results in depletion of oxygen, this may destroy aquatic species, pose problems to fisheries, inland water transport and provide congenial breeding grounds for mosquitoes, pests and other vectors of contagious diseases causing health hazards, interfere with commercial and recreational activities and disturb the delicate oxygen balance of water bodies through deterioration. They also interfere with agricultural operations when they invade the paddy field causing higher evapotranspiration and increase the fertilizer consumption considerably. These weeds prevent normal gaseous exchange between the water and atmosphere. These plants invade the water bodies and their uncontrolled propagation they blocks the waterways. When these aquatic plants are removed and discarded over the sides of waterbodies, they putrefy and finally results pollution. Efforts to remove weeds with physical, biological, chemical or hybrid means [2]–[4] have failed all over the world on a long run. At present, these methods succeed only in keeping the weed incursion in check at huge costs [5]. On the other hand, as learned from the review of the past efforts, the heavy initial clearance of the weeds from the water bodies followed by regular, periodic removal of the regrown weeds coupled with proper utilization of the harvested weeds seems to be a feasible solution to the nuisance caused by these weeds. The high productivity of weeds can be made as an asset, or else the weeds become a major trouble [3], [2], [6]. We have explored possibilities of developing such environmentally sound as well as economically viable methods of utilizing the weed, which can provide a means of controlling the weed's spread [3]. One of the options on which we zeroed in was utilization of weed for generating energy as biogas via anaerobic digestion. This study makes an attempt to utilize some common noxious aquatic weeds, like Typha Latifolia and Pistia Stratiotes by subjecting it to anaerobic fermentation.

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References

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