Potentials of Banana Peel, Vegetable Waste (Telfairia occidentalis) and Pig Dung Substrates for Biogas Production

Abstract

The research study was aimed at investigating the potentials of Banana Peel, vegetable waste (Telfairia occidentialis) and pig dung substrate for biogas production. Marian market, Watt Market and University of Calabar Pig farm were randomly sampled within Calabar Metropolis for collection samples. The study was completed within a period of six months. Standard microbiological methods using anaerobic digesters were used to screen the waste substrates for biogas production. The amount of biogas produced by the substrates were measured on a daily basis in a gas metric chamber by displacement of paraffin oil, while the methane yield of the substrates was gotten by dividing the amount of flammable gas from the total biogas produced by the substrates. The volume of biogas produced varied significantly (p<0.05) between the substrate treatments and digestion intervals (days). Maximum biogas yield of 380.29 cm3 was obtained over a period of 35 days of digestion from substrate combination (Banana Peel + vegetable + pig dung) as compared to other substrate treatments. However, the percentage methane yield ranged between 25.10% from substrate combination of pig dung and vegetable waste (PD +VW) to 49.16% from substrate combination of Banana Peel, vegetable waste and pig dung could serve as suitable substrates for biogas production.