Vol. 13, Issue 1 (2024)

Biowaste, also known as biodegradable waste, is a waste that mainly consists of organic materials. The biowaste comprises of agro residue, domestic wastes, municipal solid waste, garden waste, paper, waste from poultry farms, cattle farm, slaughter houses, waste from dairy, sugar mill, distillery, paper mill, oil extraction plants, food processing, starch processing and leather industries etc. Biowaste have a large unexploited energy potential that could be harnessed by the production of methane (CH4)-rich biogas through ‘Anaerobic Digestion’ (AD). The various cellulolytic crop residues like straw of wheat, rice and sorghum, maize stalk can be a good feedstock for anaerobic digestion with a suitable pretreatment. The composition of biomass is largely diverse and dependent upon its origin and species plant type, climatic conditions etc. The viability and feasibility of bio-energy generation from agricultural biomass depends upon the characteristics of biomass available. Characteristics of biomass feedstock vary greatly which impacts the quality of the fuels derived thereof. Elemental composition of biomass is an important property, which defines the energy content and determines the clean and efficient use of the biomass materials.

The selected biowaste available from crop residues along with weeds available in konkan region were considered for study. Physiochemical properties of selected biowaste were carried out by using standard analytical procedures. Proximate analysis gives moisture content higher in weed Bhamburda i.e. 74.18% and lowest in cowpea crop waste i.e. 7.38%. Volatile matter was more in mustard straw i.e. 76.91% and lowest in weed Bhamurda i.e.21.07%. The highest value for Ash content is for weed Lajalu i.e. 11.45% and lowest in Brinjal crop waste i.e.2.30%. The fixed carbon was calculated as highest 25.47% for weed Grass and lowest 0.75% for Mustard straw. Ultimate analysis estimated percentage of carbon wase highest 55.09% in Cowpea crop waste and lowest 0.25% in weed Bhamburda. Highest Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen percentage was in Mustard straw i.e 10.44%, weed Bhamurda i.e. 87.77, Cowpea crop waste i.e. 30.57% respectively. Similarly, lowest Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen percentage was in weed Grass i.e 5.10%, weed Grass i.e. 1.49, weed Bhamburda i.e. 1.77% respectively. The calorific value was highest in weed Reshimkata i.e. 6991.03 kcal/kg and lowest in mustard crop waste i.e. 3264.63 kcal/kg.