(1) Food Microbiology Department, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570 013, India
Abstract:
Consortia were developed for the treatment of corncobs for use as a feedstock in a biogas fermentor. The treatment of corncobs with xylanolytic consortia enhanced the production of methane and biogas. All five consortia developed produced the maximum biogas and methane at a 6% loading rate and 20 days hydraulic retention time (HRT). The maximum biogas yield of 0.59m3/kg volatile solids (VS) with a methane content of 62% was produced with the KK-10 consortium. This was apparently due to a maximum hemicellulose degradation of 88%.