International Science Community Association Research Journal of Chemical Sciences 2231 - 606X 1 3 2011 June 18 Anaerobic co-digestion of water hyacinth with primary sludge 72 77 EN PatruduT.B. K.V. 1 Depertment of Chemistry, GITAM University, Hyderabad campus, College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam, INDIA K.V Raju 2 Department of Engineering Chemistry, Andhra University, College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam, INDIA Ekpete O.A. 1 Dept. of Chemistry, Rivers State University of Education, Port Harcourt P.M.B 5047, Port Harcourt, NIGERIA HorsfallM. JNR 2 Dept. of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, Choba, Port Harcourt, NIGERIA Ghosh Pranab 1 Natural Product and Polymer Chemistry Laboratory Das Tapan 2 Department of Chemistry, University of North Bengal, Darjeeling, 734013, INDIA Das Moumita 3 JassimAla’a Abdulrazaq 1 Chemical Engineering Department, Engineering College, University of Basrah, IRAQ Zainol NoorAinee 1 School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, MALAYSIA Aziz HamidiAbdul 2 nYusoff MohdSuffia 3 Muhammad Umar 4 Sharma Shraddha 1 Department of Applied Chemistry, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, M.P., INDIA Vishwakarma Rakesh 2 Department of Applied Chemistry, Swami Vivekanand College of Science and Technology, Bhopal, M.P., INDIA Dixit Savita 3 Department of Applied Chemistry, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, M.P., INDIA Jain Praveen 4 Centre of IT & Basic Sciences, Madhya Pradesh, Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal, M.P., INDIA LinusN. Okoro 1 Department of Petroleum Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Lamido Zubairu Way, Yola By-Passs. P.M.B. 2250 Yola, Adamawa State, NIGERIA SedooV. Belaboh 2 NwamakaR. Edoye 3 BelloY. Makama 4 Ajayi I.A. 1 Dept. of Environmental Science, Yuvaraja Collage, University of Mysore, Mysore, INDIA O. Ajibade 2 Oderinde R.A. 3 ShalomNwodo Chinedu 1 Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, Canaan land, PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, NIGERIA AbayomiC. Olasumbo 2 OkwuchukwuK. Eboji 3 OpeyemiC. Emiloju 4 K.Arinola Olajumoke 5 DamilolaI. Dania 6 Patil J.H. 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, R V College of Engineering, Bangalore,INDIA MolayanLourdu Raj 2 Antony 3 Bhargav. S 4 Sowmya S.R. 5 > Research Paper 2011 04 27 2011 June 18 Water hyacinth (WH) and primary sludge (PS) from wastewater treatment plants can be used to generate energy which could save on the fossil fuels conventionally used as source of energy. In this study, the possibility was explored to mix water hyacinth with primary sludge in different combinations for anaerobic co-digestion, so that energy can be generated as biogas and at the same time digested sludge can be used as fertilizer for agricultural applications. Co-digestion of water hyacinth and primary sludge with required amount of water (W) was carried out in 250 ml batch digesters. Pretreatment of water hyacinth was done by alkali method. Anaerobic co-digestion was carried out in mesophilic temperature range (30°C to 37°C) with different fermentation slurries of 8% total solids (TS). Co-digestion was carried for a retention period of 60 days. The gas produced was collected by the downward displacement of water, and was subsequently measured and analyzed. Fermentation slurry PS3 (mixing ratio of 4: 26.14: 69.86 for WH: PS: W) was found to be optimum, which gave the highest biogas yield of 0.35 l/gVS with composition 69.6 % CH, 25.8 % CO, 0.8 % N and 3.8 % O. The overall results showed that blending water hyacinth with primary sludge had significant improvement on the biogas yield. Copyright@ International Science Community Association