Cleaner energy through liquefaction of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) podhusk: Pretreatment and process optimization

Dahunsi, S. O. and Adesulu-Dahunsi, A.T. and Izebere, J.O. (2019) Cleaner energy through liquefaction of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) podhusk: Pretreatment and process optimization. Cleaner Production, 226. ISSN 0959-6526

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Abstract

This study explored the production of biogas from the mono-fermentation of pretreated Cocoa pod husk.The pretreatment was carried out with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and alkaline hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)prepared by adjusting the pH of H2O2to 11.5 by the addition of 5 M NaOH solution. Prior to and after thepretreatments, physicochemical, structural and microbial analyses were carried on the husk using astandard method in each case. In order to determine the changes to the biomass structures after pre-treatments, the Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy were used. Average total biogas volumefrom all the experiments i.e. the acidic pretreated (AcP), alkaline pretreated (AlP), not sifted untreated(NsU) and sifted untreated (SU) was 162.8±5.0, 564.8±5.1, 243.3±4.1 and 220.8±3.3 respectively. Thisshows that the AlP Cocoa pod husk yielded the highest biogas volume and was followed by the NsU andthe SU husk while the lowest was obtained from the AcP biomass. Overall, the AlP biomass produced 71%more total biogas than the AcP one and also produced 57% more biogas than the NsU Cocoa pod husk.The AlP Cocoa pod husk did not only produce the highest biogas volume but also achieved peak ofproduction faster than all the other experimental setups. Total biogas generation was achieved in just 12days out of the 30-day retention period used in the study in which biogas production started on the 3rdday and climaxed on the 15th experimental day whereas, biogas generation did not commence until afterthe 5th and 6th days in other experiments and climax was not reached until between the 18th and 21stdays. The result of this study has revealed that use of the low cost mild alkali is more efficient in lignin (L)solubilization and subsequent biogas yield improvement. Also, Cocoa pod husk has been shown in thisstudy to be a profound biofuel substrate. Therefore, further use of AlP Cocoa pod husk for biogas andbiofertilizer production is hereby advocated especially in major Cocoa producing regions of the world

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
Depositing User:	Mr DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR LMU
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2019 12:14
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2019 12:14
URI:	https://eprints.lmu.edu.ng/id/eprint/2248

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