Application of Clay-based Nanoparticles for Enhancement of Biogas Production from Anaerobic Co-digestion of Cow Dung and Yam Peels
Keywords:
anaerobic digestion, cow dung, yam peels, clay, nanoparticlesAbstract
This work investigates the application of clay-based nanoparticles (CBNPs) for enhancing biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of cow dung and yam peels. Locally-sourced clay lumps were crushed, pulverized, calcined in a muffle furnace at 700°C for 2 hours and treated with 1 M phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) to enhance porosity. The synthesized CBNPs were characterized using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) techniques. The substrates, cow dung and yam peels, were sourced locally and equally characterized. A central composite design (CCD) within response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to evaluate 20 experimental batch runs across three factors: time, substrate ratio, and nanoparticle concentration. DLS analysis confirmed the nanoscale structure, revealing a dominant particle size of 12.78 nm. BET results indicated a specific surface area of 204 m2/g and mesoporous particles with favourable adsorptive properties. The characterization results of the substrates indicate complementary properties. Microbial assays on the cow dung confirmed the presence of active microorganisms essential for anaerobic digestion. The RSM quadratic model established predicted a maximum biogas yield of 2238.28 ml under optimal conditions of 11 days retention time, a 56% substrate mixing ratio (cow dung: yam peels) and a 151 mg/L NPs concentration. CBNPs addition significantly improved biogas yield and methane content by 24.5% and 4 % respectively, compared to the control. This enhancement is attributed to accelerated substrate degradation, improved electron transfer, and enhanced microbial activity.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Joseph Tagbo Nwabanne, Erochukwu Obioma Achugbu (Author)
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