Comparative Study of the Biogas Potential of Plantain and Yam Peels

The biogas production potential of the co-digestion of plantain (Musa parasidiaca) peels, yam (Discorea rotundata) peels and cow (Bos primigenius) dung was investigated. Two waste combinations of plantain peels with cow dung (A) and yam peels with cow dung (B) were used for the biogas comparison. The waste was charged into a glass type digester of 1000 ml capacity within a retention period of 4 weeks. Biogas production was determined using water displacement method. Changes in the volume of biogas produced, the bacteria associated with biogas production and the pH of the slurry before and after the biogas production was determined. Bacteriological analyses showed the presence of Pseudomonas sp, Klebsiella sp, Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Clostridium sp, Streptococcus sp, Micrococcus sp, and Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Clostridium sp from the fresh and spent slurry respectively. The highest volume of biogas (428 ml) was obtained from the yam peels treatment option (B3) followed by (297 ml) also from the yam peels treatment option (B4) while the least (0 ml) was from the plantain peels treatment option (A1). The statistical analysis revealed that there was a significant difference among the treatment options during the retention period.