Microbial and Biotechnological
Advancement in Biogas Production
2
Muhammad Naveed Anwar, Muneeba Shabbir, Hira Saif,
Simal Hassan Khan, Eza Tahir, Ajwa Tahir, Zaib Naeem,
Mohammad Rehan, and Abdul-Sattar Nizami
Abstract
Energy crisis, solid waste management, ever-increasing CO 2 and methane levels,
unemployment, deforestation, increased energy generation cost, and depleting
fossil fuels are some current challenges faced by developing countries. The
biogas production is a sustainable, lenient, and affordable approach to address
these issues. This chapter focuses on the history of biogas digesters and their
evolution, feasible techniques for biogas production, and methods to enhance
biogas quality. It highlights the advantages and limitations of fixed dome digester,
floating drum digester, and plug flow digester. Organic waste such as animal
dung, food waste, agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and
sewage sludge can be used as feedstock to produce biogas in digesters. Acetic
acid produced from glucose and water in acetogenesis process is transformed into
methane and by-products through methanogenesis. The efficient production of
biogas is carried out by a complex microbial process in which an appropriate
environment is necessary for the multiplication of microbes and their proper
functioning. Biogas generated at low temperatures using psychrophilic enzymes
has a low methane content; however, other factors such as pH, oxygen content,
and salt concentration also affect microbial activities and hence the quality of the
biogas. The electrical energy produced by biogas from agricultural waste feedstock is carbon zero. In Asia, biogas production is the need of the time and will
not only contribute towards a low carbon economy but also will address the
longstanding issue of deforestation and environmental pollution. If increasing
energy demands of a growing population in Asia and Africa are addressed
M. N. Anwar (*) · M. Shabbir · H. Saif · S. H. Khan · E. Tahir · A. Tahir · Z. Naeem · A.-S. Nizami
Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
M. Rehan
Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
A. Singh et al. (eds.), Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7493-1_2
31
Advancement in Biogas Production
2
Muhammad Naveed Anwar, Muneeba Shabbir, Hira Saif,
Simal Hassan Khan, Eza Tahir, Ajwa Tahir, Zaib Naeem,
Mohammad Rehan, and Abdul-Sattar Nizami
Abstract
Energy crisis, solid waste management, ever-increasing CO 2 and methane levels,
unemployment, deforestation, increased energy generation cost, and depleting
fossil fuels are some current challenges faced by developing countries. The
biogas production is a sustainable, lenient, and affordable approach to address
these issues. This chapter focuses on the history of biogas digesters and their
evolution, feasible techniques for biogas production, and methods to enhance
biogas quality. It highlights the advantages and limitations of fixed dome digester,
floating drum digester, and plug flow digester. Organic waste such as animal
dung, food waste, agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and
sewage sludge can be used as feedstock to produce biogas in digesters. Acetic
acid produced from glucose and water in acetogenesis process is transformed into
methane and by-products through methanogenesis. The efficient production of
biogas is carried out by a complex microbial process in which an appropriate
environment is necessary for the multiplication of microbes and their proper
functioning. Biogas generated at low temperatures using psychrophilic enzymes
has a low methane content; however, other factors such as pH, oxygen content,
and salt concentration also affect microbial activities and hence the quality of the
biogas. The electrical energy produced by biogas from agricultural waste feedstock is carbon zero. In Asia, biogas production is the need of the time and will
not only contribute towards a low carbon economy but also will address the
longstanding issue of deforestation and environmental pollution. If increasing
energy demands of a growing population in Asia and Africa are addressed
M. N. Anwar (*) · M. Shabbir · H. Saif · S. H. Khan · E. Tahir · A. Tahir · Z. Naeem · A.-S. Nizami
Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
M. Rehan
Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
A. Singh et al. (eds.), Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7493-1_2
31