Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Utilization of date pits as a potential source of biogas and organic fertilizer

Author(s):

A. I. Al-Turki ^1*, Y. M. El-Hadidi ¹, S. A. Al-Yahya ²

Recieved Date: 2004-01-12, Accepted Date: 2004-04-28

Abstract:

The present research was carried out to investigate the possibility of utilization of date pits meal (DPM) as an organic fertilizer and non-traditional energy source. Anaerobic fermentation digesters were constructed, installed and operated at the biogas laboratory of the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, King Saud University, Al-Gassim Branch, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to study the effect of our mixtures [mixture 1 (100% cattle feces), mixture 2 (90% cattle feces and 10% date pits meal), mixture 3 (80% cattle feces and 20% date pits meal), and mixture 4 (70% cattle feces and 30% date pits meal)] on biogas production and chemical composition of the effluent slurry as organic fertilizer at 35ºC fermentation temperature. Daily biogas production and its content of methane and carbon dioxide were recorded. Chemical analysis of influent and effluent slurries was also carried out. Biogas production from mixture 2 was 29.1%, 23.9%, and 53.4% higher than that for mixtures 1, 3, and 4, respectively. The digested mixtures under study have the potential of appropriate soil conditioners.

Keywords:

Anaerobic digestion, carbon dioxide, methane, soil conditioners

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2004
Volume: 2
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 369-374

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