title: Enhanced biomethane potential from wheat straw by low temperature alkaline calcium hydroxide pre-treatment.
abstract: A factorially designed experiment to examine the effectiveness of Ca(OH)2 pre-treatment, enzyme addition and particle size, on the mesophilic (35 °C) anaerobic digestion of wheat straw was conducted. Experiments used a 48 h pre-treatment with Ca(OH)2 7.4% (w/w), addition of Accellerase®-1500, with four particle sizes of wheat straw (1.25, 2, 3 and 10mm) and three digestion time periods (5, 15 and 30 days). By combining particle size reduction and Ca(OH)2 pre-treatment, the average methane potential was increased by 315% (from 48 NmL-CH4 g-VS(-1) to 202 NmL-CH4 g-VS(-1)) after 5 days of anaerobic digestion compared to the control. Enzyme addition or Ca(OH)2 pre-treatment with 3, 2 and 1.25 mm particle sizes had 30-day batch yields of between 301 and 335 NmL-CH4 g-VS(-1). Alkali pre-treatment of 3mm straw was shown to have the most potential as a cost effective pre-treatment and achieved 290 NmL-CH4 g-VS(-1), after only 15 days of digestion.
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Upper Glyntaff, Pontypridd CF37 1BD, United Kingdom. Electronic address: matthew.reilly@southwales.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Upper Glyntaff, Pontypridd CF37 1BD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dinsdale
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Upper Glyntaff, Pontypridd CF37 1BD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guwy
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D056804:Biofuels / Q000191:economics; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004560:Electricity; D016014:Linear Models; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010316:Particle Size; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D012722:Sewage; D014866:Waste Products; D008697:Methane; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide
keywords: Alkaline pre-treatment; Cellulase; Methane potential; Particle size; Wheat straw