Review on the Pre-treatment Advancements of Biogas Production Barriers

Abstract

Biogas production is a promising renewable energy source that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental health. Substrate pre-treatment methods, including physical, chemical, and biological methods can increase biogas yields and reduce operational costs. This review assessed the advancements in substrate pre-treatment methods for biogas production, while exploring potential benefits and drawbacks of various techniques. Physical pre-treatment methods, such as chopping, grinding, steam explosion, and high-pressure homogenization, have been found to increase biogas yield despite requiring high energy consumption and expensive equipment. Chemical pre-treatment methods involving acid and alkaline hydrolysis have been effective, but can be costly and generate hazardous wastes. The biological pre-treatment methods utilized microorganisms or enzymes, have advantages of higher biogas yields, shorter process time, and eco-friendliness. Future research can focus on developing more efficient and targeted pre-treatment methods using nanotechnology and genetic engineering, optimizing existing methods, and combining multiple pre-treatment methods to enhance efficiency. Improving pre-treatment methods can lead to benefits such as increased biogas production, reduced costs, and improved waste management practices.