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Effect of temperature and pH variation on anaerobic digestion for

biogas production

Article in Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science · December 2021

DOI: 10.4314/gjas.v56i2.1

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https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjas.v56i2.1 1

Effect of temperature and pH variation on anaerobic

digestion for biogas production
M. N. ZAINUDEEN*, M. KWARTENG, A. NYAMFUL, L. MOHAMMED & M. MUTALA
(M.N.Z.: Fluid Science Division, CSIR – INSTI; M.K: CSIR College of Science and
Technology, Accra campus; A.N.: Nuclear Engineering Department, University of Ghana,
Atomic Campus; L.M. & M.M.: CSIR, Institute of Industrial Research, Environmental and
Renewable Energy Division, Accra)
*Corresponding author’s email: mnzainudeen@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
A comparative analysis study of pH and temperature effects on the anaerobic digestion
process of different agricultural wastes was carried out during the production of biogas. The
investigation was in two phases. Phase one involved the use of a single substrate of cow dung,
cassava peels, yam peels and pineapple peels while the second involved co-digestion of the
substrates with cow dung. The composition of gas produced by a single substrate and a mixture
of these substrates were determined. The feedstock for each experiment was a 1:1 mixture of
the substrates with water. For the co-digestion, one part of the substrate and one part of cow
dung were used with two parts of water, making the ratio 1:1:2. Routine measurements of pH
and temperature of the feedstock were taken and the composition of the produced biogas was
determined. It was deduced that cow dung co-digested with cassava peels gave a higher yield
with methane content of 65.3% followed by cow dung only, co-digestion of cow dung and
yam peels, cassava peels only, yam peels only and pineapple peels with 63.4%, 51.4%, 46.2%,
42.3% and 0.0%, respectively. Therefore co-digestion, with cow dung and cassava peels is most
efficient for biogas production.

Keywords: Anaerobic; biogas; co-digestate; pH; renewable energy; temperature

Original scientific paper. Received 06 May 2021; revised 16 Jun 2021

Introduction solar energy, hydrogen energy and small-

The need to develop an alternative source of scale anaerobic fermentation of animal and
energy to fossil fuel has become increasingly plant waste for heating purposes (Meegoda
apparent with the incidents of fuel shortages et al., 2018). Renewable energy sources such
and escalating prices in recent years. Aside from as biogas appear to be one of the efficient
this, the use of fossil fuel as the primary source solutions to some of our energy challenges
of energy has led to global climate change as because the raw materials for its production
regards to the emission of greenhouse gases, are the body wastes of living organisms such
leading to environmental degradation with as animal droppings, food leftovers and other
the resultant adverse effect on the ecosystem. agricultural waste.
This has reawakened interest in renewable and Waste disposal for biodegradable
clean energy production such as wind energy, and non-biodegradable waste has been one

Ghana Jnl Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 - 13

GJAS is an Open Access Journal and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons (CC) License [CC BY 4.0]
2 Zainudeen et. al (2021) Ghana Jnl. Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 – 13

of the challenging issues confronting the piggery droppings. Residues from households
developed and developing nations, including are fruit and vegetable wastes like pineapple
Ghana (Ukpaka et al., 2018). These wastes, peels, banana peels, cassava peels, plantain
when improperly managed, contribute to peels and yam peels.
unhygienic environmental conditions that Anaerobic digestion is the
have the potential of breeding pathogenic biodegradation of organic matter through
microorganisms that could result in adverse the activity of some micro-organisms in the
health implications to humans; thus rendering absence of air to produce flammable gas like
the environment unpleasant and unattractive. methane, for heating and drying purposes.
However, these wastes can be managed The underlying theory and technology of this
appreciably by converting them into biogas, anaerobic digestion have been used by humans
an environmentally friendly form of renewable for centuries. It is one of the useful tools that is
energy (Ezekoye et al., 2011). applied in generating renewable energy in the
In Ghana, most cooking in poorer form of heat. Communities in the most remote
households still utilises firewood, charcoal, parts of Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa
and other biomass on inefficient fires and fell trees that are used as fuel for heating
stoves, resulting in indoor air pollution. This purposes. As a result, there is the desertification
is evident from the amount of charcoal and of land with contingent climate change in the
firewood that is brought even to the cities from form of global warming. In order to motivate and
the hinterland, day in day out. The only thing encourage usage of this technology, significant
that comes to mind is the felling of trees that interest into investigations on several aspects
has the potential of desertification of the land in of the process has arisen recently. Current
remote settlements. The effect of this activity is research is directed not only to the yield of the
the environmental degradation and increase in process but also toward the optimization of the
the greenhouse gases that ultimately contribute digestion conditions (Anukam et al., 2019).
to global warming by changing the natural Biogas is a mixture of gases that is
course of the climate. In order to mitigate this composed chiefly of methane, CH4: 40 – 70%
trend, affordable and efficient heat-generating by volume, and CO2: 30 – 60% by volume;
units must be made available to rural folks. generated as a result of biodegradation of
This will help in the curtailment of indoor organic material under anaerobic condition
air pollution, cut household energy costs and by the action of bacteria. Other gases are also
reduce time lost in gathering fuelwood. This generated but mostly in insignificant quantities.
is where the Biogas comes in; cheaper and These are ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide
requiring raw materials from the body wastes (H2S), oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO)
of living organisms such as animal droppings (Kawunma, 2013). The set-up or unit that
and food leftovers. Many types of biomass can is used in the production of biogas is a bio-
be used as feedstock or raw materials for biogas digester and in its operation, the parameters
production. These include fresh or ensiled plant that are of interest to researchers are the type
material, animal excrements, residues from and amount of biomass used as feedstock, size
agricultural or food production (Longjan & of digester, pH, pressure, retention time and
Dehoucheb, 2017; Kavuma, 2013; Marchaim, temperature of the reaction mixture (Ezekoye
1992; Chandra et al., 2012). Prominent among et al., 2011; Mirmohamadsadeghi et al., 2019).
animal excrements are cow dung, poultry and
Effect of temperature and pH Variation… 3

A biogas digester is an airtight Anaerobic digestion is characterized

container in which bacteria break down by a series of biochemical transformations
organic waste through a process of anaerobic caused by the degradation of organic matter.
fermentation. In addition to the production of The process involves four distinct stages of
methane-rich gas for cooking and heating, it hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and
helps in the recycling of organic waste with finally methanogenesis. In the first stage
positive impacts on the environment, human fats, complex carbohydrates and proteins
and animal health. Even the byproduct of the are hydrolyzed to their monomeric forms by
process, which is in the form of liquid effluent, respective enzymes. In stage two, the monomers
is a good source of fertilizer and nutrients for are further degraded into short chain acids.
crops grown on land and water (Buntha et al., These short chain acids are then converted to
2009). In a typical anaerobic digester, the intermediate products of hydrogen, carbon
principal component is a digester chamber, a dioxide and acetate in the third stage. With the
facility for slurry preparation, storage for the help of methanogens, the intermediate products
processed slurry, a gas collecting space and are converted to methane and carbon dioxide in
an area for the mechanical equipment such as the final stage (Ramatsa et al., 2014).
the stirrer for agitation. Components such as a Cassava and yam are the most
pressure gauge, thermometer and pH meter are cultivated crops in Ghana, with a per capita
important to monitor the variation of pressure, production of 0.6 tonnes (Kemausour et al.,
temperature and pH respectively. In setting 2014). In most of the communities where these
up a smooth-running bio-digester, the ease of crops are cultivated and processed - especially
accessibility of the various component is given the cassava processing communities - several
prominence. tonnes of the peels are generated as a waste
Every bio-digester has dual product. With an expected increase in food
characteristics of batch and continuous stirred production, there is an attendant increase in
tank reactor (CSTR) at the same time. The waste generation from the peels. Though used
batch nature is that the digester is filled with as feed for farm animals, the huge quantities
the reactant feedstock that is allowed to remain generated, coupled with the remoteness of many
in the digester until the desired treatment is of the communities that process them, make
finished. The slurry, which is biodegradable, it difficult for all the waste to be utilized. For
is then removed and replaced with a new example, at Adeiso and Bawjiase in the Central
batch of material after expiry of the retention Region; then Asueyi and Akrofrom in the
time (Ukpaka et al., 2018). The CSTR nature Bono East Region, where cassava processing
of the digester, however, is the intermittent into gari and starch take place, a lot of waste
stirring of the reactants until the reaction is is left to rot or burnt, with environmental
complete. Biogas digesters can vary greatly consequences (Andoh, 2010; Kemausuor et al.,
in capacity; ranging from small-scale units 2015). There is therefore the need to explore
used by households to larger communal and other measures to manage the waste accruing
industrial digesters. Feedstocks utilized in the from the process in order to ensure good
digester include many types of biomass such as environmental management practices within
animal, food and agricultural waste. However, the processing communities. The production
materials that are difficult or hard for the of biogas from livestock manure and its co-
bacteria to digest like lignocellulose in woods, digestion with other biomass, in particular, is
are avoided.
4 Zainudeen et. al (2021) Ghana Jnl. Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 – 13

one of the alternative utilizations of organic Materials and Methods

wastes that can be implemented to create a
green environment. Before waste could be used Materials
as co-digestate in biogas production, it must TABLE 1
be rich in nutrients necessary for optimum Construction equipment/tools used
in building the biogas units
bacterial growth (Bayitse et al., 2014). For
example, manure which has a high buffering Name of equipment/ Location obtained from
material
capacity and possesses the characteristic
nutrients for bacterial growth can serve as an Digester tank Bel Aqua depot, Accra
excellent co-substrate for biogas production. PVC pipe PVC vending shop, Kasoa
Co-digestion with manure would give the Gas bag Hospital supplies shop,
balance of nutrients, at appropriate carbon- Korle-bu
nitrogen (C/N) ratio and stable pH needed to Thermometer Adat water, Accra
increase methane production (Bayitse et al., pH meter Adat water, Accra
2014). Valve PVC vending shop, Kasoa
This work is making an attempt on how Gas collector (rubber Motor tyre repair shop,
to mitigate the dangers posed by leaving our tube) Nima
waste to pollute the environment, but on how it Gas Analyzer Analy- Environmental Laboratory,
could be transformed into our energy needs in ser (GA2000Plus) CSIR-IIR
the form of heating in conformity with Ghana’s Faucet PVC vending shop, Kasoa
Strategic Energy Plan of increase of biomass Manual stirrer Chemistry Laboratory,
energy to a penetration of 20% by the year GAEC
2020 (Energy Commission, 2006). Soldering iron Mechanic spare parts shop,
The aim of the study is to fabricate Cape Coast
a batch type of anaerobic reactor for the Hand trowel Construction material shop,
determination of biogas production potentials Kasoa
of peels of cassava and yam co-digested at Weighing balance Hardware shop, Agbog-
bloshie
different combinations with cow dung and
other biomass for the purpose of heating. In
order to understand the dynamics of the process
Building of the Biogas Unit: - A Modified
involved and make it efficient. The specific
Fixed-Dome Digester in Terms of Operation
objectives of the study are determination of
A 15-litre plastic bottle was used as a digester
the relative amounts of biogas production by
for the biogas experiment. Using a soldering
single feedstock as compared to co-digestion
iron, two holes were created through which
with other biomass, then pH and temperature
two PVC pipes were fixed into the digester.
variations of the digestion for the different
One of the pipes which run vertically into the
biomass.
tank serves as the inlet of feedstock into the
Effect of temperature and pH Variation… 5

digester. The other one which serves as the entire process was repeated for cassava peels,
outlet of the slurry was fixed two inches from pineapple peels and yam peels as feedstocks.
the bottom of the tank and protrudes outwards
perpendicularly to the first one. A gas tube Preparation and biogas production from co-
was then connected to the digester to serve as digestion
a pathway for biogas into the gas collector. A Two different digesters were prepared for
valve was used to control the flow of gas in cassava peels & cow dung and yam peels &
and out of the gas tube as described elsewhere cow dung as feedstocks. The cassava peels
(IRENA, 2016). All perforations were sealed and yam peels were chopped into smaller
with fine granules of earth and adhesive. To pieces of dimension less than 5 mm and dried
ensure the process occurred anaerobically, for one week in the sun.
the digester was painted black such that it is
opaque to all forms of light, including sunlight. Bio-digester 1:
Finally, a tap was connected to the outlet pipe Approximately 2.5 kg each of cassava peels
of the digester to serve as the exit point of the and cow dung were weighed and mixed with
feedstock. Figure 1 is the pictorial view of 5 kg of water in the ratio of 1:1:2. Initially,
three of the built digesters in operation. the cow dung was mixed with the water into
a homogeneous slurry. Using a funnel, this
Preparation and biogas production from single fine slurry was introduced into the inlet of the
feedstock bio-digester. Then, the chopped 2.5 kg cassava
Five kilograms of cow dung obtained from an peels were introduced into the digester using a
animal pen unit were mixed with water in the hand trowel. The inlet of the bio-digester was
ratio of 1:1 to form a slurry. Solid matter such then sealed and the mixture stirred thoroughly.
as stones and sticks were removed to obtain a The first reading of the ambient temperature
homogenous mixture. This feedstock was then and pH of the solution was then taken.
fed into the digester through the inlet pipe with
a funnel fitted to the top. During the experiment, Bio-digester 2:
the digester was stirred with a paddle stirrer at Approximately 2.5 kg each of yam peels and
certain time intervals. Between the hours of cow dung were weighed and mixed with 5
9:00 am and 10:00 am in the mornings and then kg of water in the ratio of 1:1:2. The entire
2:00 pm and 3:00 pm in the afternoons, about process as described for bio-digester 1 was
20 ml of the feedstock was collected into a repeated for yam peels & cow dung. Table 2
rubber container through the tap. The pH meter shows the various amounts of feedstocks with
was then inserted into this solution and the the corresponding amount of water combined
reading taken while the ambient temperature to form the substrate slurry as explained earlier
was also read. This procedure was carried out for Bio-digester 1.
daily during the retention time of 21 days. The
6 Zainudeen et. al (2021) Ghana Jnl. Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 – 13

TABLE 2
Feedstocks and corresponding amounts of water utilised
Parameters Cow Cassava Yam Peels Pineapple Cow Dung + Cassava Cow Dung
Dung Peels Peels Peels + Yam Peels
Mass of feed- 5 5 4 4 2.5 + 2.5 2.5 + 2.5
stock used (kg)
Mass of water 5 5 4 4 5 5
used (kg)
Total mass of 10 10 8 8 10 10
slurry (kg)

Data Analysis Results

The readings on the equipment were taken
thrice and entered in the Microsoft excel tables. Collection and Analysis of Biogas Produced
Through the programming, the mean and the The gas accumulated from the 13th to 18th day
standard deviation of each entry for the, pH of the experiment was transferred into a gas
and Temperature, were calculated in order to bag from the storage tank (gas collector) and
minimize possible errors in the readings to the sent for analysis using the gas analyser. This is
barest minimum. The accepted results were in conformity with the findings by Anti (2012),
then used in the construction of the graphs that that rate of CH4 production for all varieties of
follow. feedstock were relatively constant within the
aforementioned retention times.

Fig. 1: Pictorial representation of the three biodigester set

Effect of temperature and pH Variation… 7

TABLE 3
Composition of various gases contained in biogas produced for different feedstocks
The following graphs are the representation of the pH and temperature against the retention times for each of the
feedstocks used.

Cassava peels
CARBON
HYDROGEN SUL- METHANE (CH4)
FEEDSTOCK (IV) OXIDE NITROGEN (N)%
PHIDE (H2S) % %
(CO2) %

Cow dung 30.2 0.7 5.7 63.4

Cassava peels 41.5 3.0 9.3 46.2

Yam peels 46.7 4.8 6.2 42.3

Pineapple peels 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Cow dung + Cassava

29.2 1.8 3.7 65.3
peels

Cow dung + Yam peels 39.9 3.9 4.8 51.4

Pineapple peels

Fig. 4: A graph of temperature against retention time

Fig. 2: A graph of temperature against retention time for pineapple peels
for cassava peels

Fig. 3: A graph of pH against retention time for cassava Fig. 5: A graph of pH against retention time for
peels pineapple peels
8 Zainudeen et. al (2021) Ghana Jnl. Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 – 13

Cow dung

Fig. 9: A graph of pH against retention time for yam

peels
Fig. 6: A graph of temperature against retention time
for cow dung
Temperature variation for the Co-digestion
experiments

Fig. 10: A graph of temperature against retention time

Fig. 7: A graph of pH against retention time for cow
for bio-digesters 1 & 2
dung

Yam peels Co-digestion of cassava peels and cow dung

Fig. 8: A graph of temperature against retention time

for yam peels Fig. 10: A graph of pH against retention time for
cassava peels and cow dung
Effect of temperature and pH Variation… 9

Co-digestion of yam peels and cow dung Except for the figure 5, for pineapple where the
pH showed a plateau within acidic region where
biogas production was not realized as depicted
in Table 3, the pH for the other substrates were
all within a range where biogas production was
possible (Yeboah, 2016; Ugwoke et al., 2011;
Ukpaka et al., 2018; Olanrewaju, 2018).
By careful scrutiny of the figures, it
would be observed that the average pH value
of the yam peels was 6.55 on the first day
increased up to about 6.9 on the 4th day before
it started decreasing down to about 6.15 on the
Fig. 12: A graph of pH against retention time for yam
last day of the experiment, as shown in figure
peels and cow dung
9. Cow dung on the other hand, from figure 7,
had a pH value of 7.7 on day one and gradually
decreased to 6.5 on the last day. For pineapple
Discussion peels the pH at the beginning of the experiment
The diagrammatic representation of the results was 5.7 but sharply decreased to an average
obtained are shown on the graphs from Figure value of 4.9 from day six and remained same
2 to Figure 12. While figures 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 until the last day of the experiment as depicted
depict the variation of temperature against the in figure 5. This is because the highly acidic
retention times, the rest of the figures from nature of the reaction mixture coupled with the
3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 12 depict variation of pH presence of lignocellulose, does not favor any
of the reaction mixture against the retention flammable biogas yield, as reported by Yeboah
times. The temperature graphs showed that, (2016) and corroborated to a large extent by
during the course of the experiment, there were Ugwoke et al. (2011) and Olanrewaju (2018).
fluctuations from the minimum temperature Co-digestion of yam peels with cow
of 25°C right up to the maximum recorded dung resulted in an average pH value of 7.5
temperature of 33°C. For example, figure on the first day which reduced to about 6.85
6 revealed fluctuations from the beginning within one week and later rose up to just pH
till the end of each experiment with minimal of 7.3 on the last day, about 0.2 unit short of
difference. Similar behavior was obtained for the initial pH of the slurry, as shown in figure
the rest of the temperature versus retention 12. The reason for the decrease in the pH value
time graphs. The temperature range falls within of the substrate was due to the dilution of the
the mesophilic range of the biogas production, reaction mixture with water and the peels, from
which according to Kawuma (2013), results in the initial, airtight and charged cow dung with
satisfactory production of biogas. probable initial production of ammonia. Hence
Observation of the pH versus retention rapid reduction in flammable gas production
time graphs shown, indicated a sudden decrease during the digestion period as was suggested
in the pH from the inception of the experiment, by Olanrewaju (2018). This emphasizes the
then followed by a gradual increase within 14 fact that at higher pH that was recorded on the
days from the start up to a range where yield of first week of digestion, the highest peak of gas
biogas was appreciable (Ukpaka et al., 2018). production was attained. At slightly low pH
10 Zainudeen et. al (2021) Ghana Jnl. Agric. Sci. 56 (2), 1 – 13

range which was recorded on the last days of of the temperature as the yield of the organic
digestion, there was little or no gas production. acid increases (Anti, 2012; Yeboah, 2016).
As the digestion process was ongoing, a sudden This is because hydrolytic bacteria which is
drop in pH was also recorded and this was responsible for hydrolysis reaction in the initial
probably due to quick production of volatile biogas production process, has been inhibited
fatty acids (VFAs) as was obtained from the from carrying out its activity of reducing the
work of (Ukpaka et al., 2018). complex polymers into simpler monomers
For cassava peels and the mixed for onward reaction in methanogenesis
masses of cow dung and cassava peels, there stage. One other factor that hinders the
was pH increase as reaction progresses. The production of biogas with pineapple peels as
pH value of cassava peels was 5.3 on the first the substrate is the presence of D-limonene,
day and it increased gradually to 5.7 on the one of the constituents of the fruit waste. This
last day of the experiment. Although gases D-limonene, according to Yeboah (2016), is an
were produced, they were not flammable as anti-microbial agent inhibiting the activities
the pH range was not favorable for methane of bacteria that are involved in the digestion
production. With respect to the mixed masses process. However, its slow degradation through
of cow dung and cassava peels, there was also decomposition over a long period of retention
a gradual pH increase. However that increase time of about 100 days, could show some level
was within a flammable gas pH range, from of flammable biogas production, though to a
an average pH value of 7.0 on the first day very small extent as reported by Ugwoke and
to 7.4 on the last day. The pH rise could also Ekpe (2011).
have come about probably due to the fact that Another factor that is considered of a
nitrogen gas was liberated and it accumulated substrate is its C:N ratio. The ideal range for
in the form of ammonia and thus inhibiting flammable gas production of any substrate is
the activities of the methanogenic bacteria between 20:1 and 30:1. So if the C/N of a given
(Adelekan & Bamgboye, 2009). But the results substrate is outside this range, it has to be co-
as presented on Table 3, indicated that more digested (or mixed) with another with moderate
flammable gas was produced. A constant pH C:N ratio so that overall, the ideal range could
which was observed after retention time of be attained for more efficient biogas production
20 days digestion period, was similar to the (Marchaim, 1992; Adelekan & Bamgboye,
findings of Ukpaka et al. (2018) indicating 2009). According to Orhorhoro et al. (2016), the
cessation of the anaerobic digestion process. C/N ratio for cow dung, cassava peels and yam
No biogas yield was recorded for peels are 24, 55 and 36 respectively. Since the
pineapple peels. The initial pH of the slurry C/N ratios for yam peels and cassava peels are
was 5.7 which reduced drastically within a day outside the ideal range, it is not surprising that
to as low as pH value of 4.9 due to increase the biogas produced for their co-digestion with
in probably the production of acidogenic cow-dung was higher. From Table 3, cow dung
bacteria as reported by Perera (2011). This & cassava peels yielded the highest amount of
low pH value range of the medium was one of methane with 65.3%, followed by cow dung
the reasons for the failure in biogas yield as it only with 63.4%, cow dung & yam peels with
inhibits the methanogenisis process. Though 51.4%, cassava peels only with 46.2%, yam
the temperature was within the mesophilic peels with 42.3% and pineapple peels with
range, the effect of the pH far outweighed that 0.0%. These particular results were obtained
Effect of temperature and pH Variation… 11

due probably to the pretreatment of the cassava Acknowledgement

and yam peels by reducing the moisture content We also wish to extend our deepest appreciation
through drying prior to charging into the bio- to the staff of the Biomass laboratory of the
digester. Another factor that could have had an CSIR- IIR for granting us access to their gas
effect is the amount of edible component that analyzer.
was cut off with the peels and finally the type of
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