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Application of iron-cobalt-copper (Fe-Co–Cu) trimetallic nanoparticles on anaerobic digestion (AD) for biogas production

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Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a commercial technology for bioenergy technology, which is a naturally occurring process of various microbial actions that break down organic waste materials and produce energy as biogas. Nevertheless, AD efficiency can be reduced due to substrate loading, ammonia inhibition, low methane yield, and impure feedstock. The supplementation of various metal nanoparticles (NPs) has shown significant results for higher biogas production in the AD process. Iron (Fe)–based NPs are an essential complement to microbes for higher biogas production in the AD process. In this study, Fe-Co–Cu TMNPs were synthesized via the chemical co-precipitation method using metal salt (Fe(NO3)3, Co(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), and precipitants. The structure and morphology of the TMNPs are characterized by Fourier-transformation (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM/EDX). Furthermore, the effect of Fe-Co–Cu trimetallic nanoparticles (TMNPs) in five different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg/L) on palm oil mill effluent (POME)–based AD process for biogas production. The results showed that biogas yield increased by 5.66%, 7.54%, and 11.11% when using 20, 30, and 50 mg/L Fe-Co–Cu TMNPs. With the same TMNP concentration (10 mg/L and 40 mg/L), biogas yield was reduced by 26.41% and 11.11%, respectively. The economic feasibility and sustainability of Fe-Co–Cu TMNPs manufacturing and applying Fe-Co–Cu TMNPs in the AD process have been demonstrated. The assay showed the negative and positive effects of Fe-Co–Cu TMNPs in the POME-based AD process. The result of the present study indicates a possible new strategy for the preparation and design of NPs to enhance biogas production.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the Ministry of Higher Education under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme for Research Acculturation of Early Career Researchers (FRGS-RACER) no. RACER/1/2019/TK10/UMP/1 and Education Malaysia via Research Grant (FRGS/1/2019/TK07/02/5) through Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) grant no. RDU192614 and RDU1901202, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Kuantan, Pahang, Gambang, Malaysia

    Pramod Jadhav, Zaied Bin Khalid, A. W. Zularisam, Abdul Syukor Abd Razak & Mohd Nasrullah

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, PSU Energy Systems Research Institute (PERIN), Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand

    Santhana Krishnan

  3. International College (MJU-IC), Maejo University, Chiang Mai, 50290, Thailand

    Prakash Bhuyar

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  1. Pramod Jadhav
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  2. Zaied Bin Khalid
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  5. A. W. Zularisam
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  6. Abdul Syukor Abd Razak
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Contributions

Pramod Jadhav: conceptualization, writing—original draft; Zaied Bin Khalid: writing—review and editing; Santhana Krishnan: writing—review and editing, formal analysis, conceptualization; Prakash Bhuyar: review and editing, formal analysis; A.W. Zularisam: project administration; Abdul Syukor Abd Razak: visualization; Mohd Nasrullah: supervision, funding acquisition.

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Correspondence to Mohd Nasrullah.

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Jadhav, P., Khalid, Z.B., Krishnan, S. et al. Application of iron-cobalt-copper (Fe-Co–Cu) trimetallic nanoparticles on anaerobic digestion (AD) for biogas production. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 14, 7591–7601 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02825-2

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