Seawater Biorefinery of Avicennia Marina –Biomethane Potential at Seawater Conditions

Abstract

Lignocellulose is considered as an abundant source of carbohydrates that can be used to produce renewable fuels and chemicals such as biomethane, which have economic and environmental advantages over fossil resources. However, conventional bioprocesses are based on the use of fresh water. Finding a new way to minimize the need for fresh water is economically important. This study focuses on the feasibility of bioenergy production from local mangroves plant using sea water biorefinery concept. Samples of Avicennia marina were collected from the coastal areas in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Based on anaerobic fermentation, inoculum was added to batch system that had sea water and the sampled biomass of 1.09g. Gas chromatography analysis had showed an increment in the biomethane production over an incubation period of initially of forty eight days at 37 ̊C and the last and highest reading reached 52.8 mlCH4/gVS by day 48.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.5383/swes.8.01.007

Journal

International Journal of Sustainable Water and Environmental Systems

Year

2016