Enhancement of Biogas Production from Plant Biomass Using Iron Nanoparticles

Biogas production from plant biomass (Pharagmites australis and Eichornia crassipes) inoculated with fresh digestate from Daqahliyah Sugar Beet factory - Egypt bioreactors in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles capped with ascorbic acid were investigated. The substrate was charged into batch digesters (syringes 20 ml) and 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm of iron nanoparticles capped with ascorbic acid working suspension were added further and subjected to anaerobic conditions. The produced biogas was collected by the water displacement method and subsequently measured (ml). Results obtained showed that, maximum biogas production from Pharagmites australis was (31.10 ml/3.4 g P. australis) with 100 ppm of Fe3O4 NPs compared to control (18.07 ml/3.4 g P. australis), with enhancement percentage 72.11%. While maximum biogas production from Eichornia crassipes was (16.33 ml/3.4 g E. crassipes) compared to control (10.83 ml/3.4 g E. crassipes), with enhancement percentage 50.78%, after 25 days of incubation at temperature 35 degrees C and pH 7.2. It could be concluded that, biogas production from P. australis and E. crassipes in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles capped with ascorbic acid have an important role and efficacy in the biogas generation quantity, unwanted biomass recycling and in terms of environmental pollution control and management that might have resulted from the domestic disposal of these unwanted plant biomass.