Effects of Local and Industrial Adsorbents on Biogas Generation from Cow Dung

The effect of local and industrial adsorbents on biogas production from cow dung was investigated. The result revealed that a total weekly mean volume of 5,055cm³ 5,782cm³, 5,652.5cm³ and 3,972.5cm³ of biogas were produced by the mixtures of cow dung and local charcoal, cow dung and activated charcoal, cow dung and kaolin, cow dung and pectin respectively as compared to the control that gave a total weekly mean volume of 3,827.5cm³ of biogas. While total weekly mean methane production of 4,737cm³, 4,665cm³, 4,389cm³, 3,665.5cm³ by volume were obtained from cow dung and kaolin mixture, cow dung and activated charcoal, local charcoal and cow dung, pectin and cow dung mixture respectively in comparison to 3,597.5cm3 total weekly mean volume of methane production by cow dung only (control) other physiochemical parameter of cow dung were determined and they include moisture, ash, total solid, volatile solid, organic Carbon Nitrogen and crude protein content. Overall result for the 10 weeks retention period indicated that biogas yield can be enhanced by local and industrial adsorbent and analysis of the remnant indicated that it could be used as a substrate for plant growth.