BioHemm

Bio-Inhibition Avoidance

Topic

The use of agricultural residues is a key element of sustainable and socially acceptable biogas production. In particular, the efficient use of livestock manure has a significant potential for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The great potential has already been taken into account by the politicians with the manure bonus in 2009 and is now receiving more and more attention. However, only 1/3 of the available manure is used for biogas production. One possible reason for this is that there is still no detailed database regarding the gas-forming potential of these substrates depending on the husbandry system and the antibiotics used. Therefore, this project will investigate the specific methane yields as a function of the animal husbandry system. Special attention will be given to the evaluation of the fecal-urine separation.

Manure can contain antibiotics or their metabolites, which can have both positive and negative effects on biogas production and thus on the gas formation potential. This can be a significant risk when using manure in the biogas plant. However, it is also possible to reduce or even eliminate these components in the biogas process. 

Goals

The project goal therefore is to define specific methane potentials as a function of the housing system. In addition, inhibitors that have a significant effect on gas formation will be identified and their mechanisms of action will be elucidated. The results will also be used to determine the concentrations of inhibitors needed to inhibit gas formation depending on temperature. Finally, the results will be used to provide recommendations for those involved in practice, industry, research and policy.

Project tasks of the State Institute

In the project, 80 samples of pig manure and 40 samples of cattle manure from different types and compositions will be analyzed for their specific methane and biogas yields as well as acid and alcohol concentrations. At the same time, systematic analyses of the constituents will be carried out. The results will be correlated with the gas yields.