Bioresource Technology 73 (2000) 191193

Short communication

Anaerobic digestion of banana stem waste

V.C. Kalia *, V. Sonakya, N. Raizada
Centre For Biochemical Technology, CSIR, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi 110007, India
Received 4 August 1999; received in revised form 25 October 1999; accepted 27 October 1999

Abstract
Waste banana stem has a high organic content (83%); with 1520% (w/w) lignin and cellulose which gives it a sheath-like texture.
Banana stem slurries (BSS) at 216% total solids (TS) concentration were anaerobically digested under mesophilic (3740C) as well
as thermophilic conditions (5055C) in batch culture. The nal biogas yields, 267271 l/kg TS fed, were observed with 24% TS
slurries, under mesophilic conditions. In the thermophilic range, the biogas yields, 212229 l/kg TS fed, were found with 28% TS
slurries. However, thermophilic digestion rates were 2.4 times faster than mesophilic. Methane accounted for 5979% of the total
biogas. Methane yield was maximum at 2% TS BSS in both the temperature ranges. The process led to 4550% reduction in organic
solids and 4055% reduction in COD. With 16% TS BSS inhibition resulted in 5060% loss in biomethanation process eciency. 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Banana stem slurry; Biodegradation; Biogas; Bioenergy; Energy recovery; Plant waste; Recycling; Waste biomass

1. Introduction

2. Methods

Recycling and stabilization of waste through anaerobic digestion is a better approach for treatment than
aerobic treatment or composting (Neumann and Schwarting, 1995). Unlike uncontrolled and slow fermentation of wastes in a landll, biodegradation in a
factory system results in energy generation and production of nutrient rich biomanure. Many wastes of
plant origin have been subjected to anaerobic digestion
(Kalia et al., 1992a,b; Kalia and Luthra, 1994; Kalia
and Joshi, 1995; Kalia et al., 1997); however, the major
limiting factors are the bres. Processing of banana
plants results in the generation of leaves and stem as
waste. High biogas yields from banana leaves have been
reported (Kalia et al., 1995); however, banana stem had
resulted in very low yields (Deivanai and Kasturi Bai,
1995). In the present study, banana stem has been
subjected to biodegradation through a two-stage anaerobic digestion under mesophilic and thermophilic
conditions.

Feed stock material. Sundried banana (Musa indica)

stems (92% total solids; 83% organic solids; 15% lignin)
were used in the experiments. These were cut into small
pieces (12 cm) before use.
Bacterial cultures. (i) Acidogens: Fresh cattle dung
slurry (CDS 3% total solids (TS) w/v) was used as a
source of acidogens.
(ii) Methanogens: Enrichment of mesophilic and
thermophilic methanogens was done by incubating CDS
(3% TS) at 37C and 55C for 2530 days.
Digestions. All experiments were done in 300 ml BOD
bottles which were tted with B-19 ground-glass stoppers with a gas outlet (Kalia and Joshi, 1995). All incubations were done at 37C and 55C as batch cultures.
Methane production. Banana stem slurry (BSS),
250 ml, at 2%, 4%, 8% and 16% TS was inoculated with
acidogens (1 vol) to slurry (9 vol) and incubated for two
days at 3740C for mesophilic culture as well as
thermophilic culture. Slurry from this stage was then
inoculated with 30 ml of enriched methanogenic suspension. The pH of the slurry was adjusted to 7 with 2 N
NaOH. Nitrogen was passed to ush out air or other
gases, prior to incubation. Gas collection and analysis
was done at regular intervals of 23 days.
Gas analysis. Gases were collected over water (pH
adjusted to 2 to avoid CO2 dissolution) in graduated

Corresponding author. Tel.: +91-011-7256-156; +91-011-7256-157;

+91-011-7257-298; fax: +91-011-7257-471.
E-mail address: vc_kalia@hotmail.com (V.C. Kalia).

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V.C. Kalia et al. / Bioresource Technology 73 (2000) 191193

Table 1
Methanogenesis of banana-stema
Slurry (% TS) (w/v)

DAI

Yield
(l/kg TS fed)

CH4 (% v/v)

Biogas

CH4

Reduction
(% w/w)
TS

OS

COD

Mesophilic culture
2
4
8
16

57
57
57
57

271
267
206
130

196
183
132
81

72
69
64
62

35
39
42
45

51
47
53
55

49
54
54
55

Thermophilic culture
2
4
8
16

24
24
24
24

217
212
229
143

171
153
141
84

79
72
62
59

31
30
36
23

47
45
44
28

35
39
45
26

DAI: days of incubation; TS: total solids; OS: organic solids; Biogas: mixture of CH4 , CO2 and H2 S. Values are based on two sets of experiments
and variation was approx. 10%.

aspirator bottles and volume calculated at 25C. CH4

and CO2 were analysed by standard GC procedures on a
GC 5700 (Nucon Engineers, New Delhi). Argon was
used as a carrier gas. Hydrogen sulphide was determined
by passing the gas sample through 10% lead acetate
solution (Kalia et al., 1992a).
Total solids (TS) and organic solids (OS). Total
solids and organic solids were estimated by heating a
sample at 110C for 18 h and at 600C for 2 h, respectively (Kalia et al., 1992a).
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) estimation. COD
determination kits were procured from Emerck. The
samples were digested for 2 h at 148C in a Thermoreactor TR 200 (Emerck), and analysed on a Photometer
SQ 118 (Emerck).
Digestions and analyses were duplicated.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Methane generation
A comparison of biogas and methane yields at the two
temperature ranges and dierent substrate concentrations is presented in Table 1. Although the biogas yields
were almost similar, i.e. 212229 l/kg TS fed from 2% to
8% TS BSS in the case of thermophiles, the total biogas
yields were similar in 24% TS in mesophilic conditions,
i.e. 267271 l/kg TS fed. At high TS concentrations in the
BSS, the biogas yields declined by 4050%. It may be
remarked that although the methane yields were relatively higher under mesophilic conditions, the rate of
generation was much higher at 55C. The methane yields
under thermophilic conditions were 1316% less than
those under mesophilic conditions; however, the incubation periods were only 24 days in thermophilic
conditions, compared to 57 days for maximum biodegradation for mesophilic fermentation. This shows a 2.4
times faster biomethanation rate at thermophilic condi-

tions, accompanied by a relatively large reduction in

organic matter (Mackie and Bryant, 1995).
Banana stem, due to its brous nature, is not very
favourable for good methanogenesis (Anand et al.,
1991). Generally acid and alkali treatments are employed
to breakdown its brous texture (Rorrer and Hawley,
1993). The study shows an eective biodegradation of
ligno-cellulosic brous waste materials like banana stem.
In comparison to the biogas yields reported by Deivanai
and Kasturi Bai (1995), where they could get only 29 l
biogas/kg TS fed, we have recorded very high yields of up
to 271 l/kg TS fed. The relatively higher yields could be
perhaps due to the pretreatment and temperature employed (Kalia et al., 1995). The process is eco-friendly
since it does not employ alkali or acid treatments.

Acknowledgements
We are thankful to the Director, Centre for Biochemical Technology, CSIR, for providing the necessary
facilities and Dr A.P. Joshi for advice.
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