Application of palm oil mill waste to enhance biogas upgrading and hornwort cultivation. (1st May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rattanaya, Thiwa; Kongjan, Prawit; Cheewasedtham, Chonlatee; Bunyakan, Charun; Yuso, Paowarit; Cheirsilp, Benjamas; Jariyaboon, Rattana
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 309(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05-01
• Subjects: Oil palm ash -- Biogas upgrading -- Hornwort -- Palm oil mill effluent -- Aquatic cultivation; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114678
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: The potential of oil palm ash (OPA) to enhance H2 S and CO2 removal from biogas by scrubbing with maturation pond effluent (MPE), and further the treatment of biogas scrubber effluent (BSE) by Ceratophyllum demersum L. (hornwort) cultivation were investigated in this study. The results show that OPA + MPE solution with pH 9.3 and alkalinity 7525 mg CaCO3 /L was obtained with 0.7 kg/L OPA loading. A pilot scale scrubber was used to study the effects of absorbent flow rates of 60–210 L/h on upgrading to 300 L/h field biogas stream. At 210 L/h, the CO2 removal efficiencies were 33% and 53% for MPE and OPA + MPE, respectively. To approach 100% H2 S removal efficiency, the minimum flow rates were 120 L/h for MPE and 90 L/h for OPA + MPE. 50–150 g wet weight of hornwort in 30 L diluted POME were loaded to investigate appropriate initial hornwort loading level for hornwort cultivation. The highest specific growth rate of 0.045 day −1 with biomass production of 3.8 g/day were obtained with a 50 g initial loading. Among the wastewaters (MPE, OPA + MPE, and BSE) treatment using hornwort cultivation, the highest 0.035 day −1 specific growth rate and 2.6 g/day biomass production of hornwort were obtained in diluted BSE cultivation, and in 3 weeks of cultivation. COD, nitrate, phosphate, and alkalinity decreased by 76%, 76%, 55%, and 5%, respectively. The Eco-Efficiency concept for palm oil mill waste utilization proposed in this study has a high potential for enhanced biogas upgrading by using OPA + MPE, and hornwort is a good candidate for BSE post-treatment integrated with biomass production. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The Eco-Efficiency concept for palm oil mill waste utilization is proposed. Biogas scrubbing with maturation pond effluent is improved by OPA. 99.9% H2 S and 53% CO2 removal obtained with 0.7 kg/L OPA loading. Biogas upgrading effluent was treated by hornwort cultivation. Hornwort biomass was produced at 0.035 day −1 specific growth rate.