Honors Program
Date of this Version
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
Faber-Quimby, K. 2024. Determining the Impacts of Corn Silage Mixing Ratios on Hydrogen Production from Beef Cattle Manure. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Abstract
With global warming becoming an increasingly serious threat and a growing population requiring additional energy resources, interest in the production of clean energy from the agricultural sector has surged in popularity. Biohydrogen, also known as green hydrogen, is H2 that has been produced using renewable energy, such as from agricultural byproducts or waste materials. It presents a promising alternative to nonrenewable resources due to its high potential for energy storage and lack of carbon emissions when used. Cattle manure has been explored as a resource for the production of biohydrogen. Selecting for hydrogen-producing microbes in the manure serves the dual purpose of generating a renewable source of clean energy while simultaneously minimizing methanogenesis that contributes to global warming. The goal of this study was to optimize hydrogen production and inhibit methanogenesis by using different mixing ratios of corn silage to cattle manure to manipulate pH. Results were analyzed using GC-TCD and GC-FID. We conclude that corn silage may be used as a substrate for biohydrogen production and methanogenesis inhibition in cattle manure, and future research directions are indicated.
Comments
Copyright Katya Faber-Quimby 2024