Sustainable biogas production via anaerobic co-digestion of cheese whey and cattle manure

In Mexico, specifically in Chiapas, the dairy cattle industry plays a significant role in cheese and milk production. However, the large quantities of cattle manure (CM) and cheese whey (CW) generated as byproducts pose environmental challenges if not managed properly. To address this issue, anaerobic digestion (AD) technology offers a sustainable solution for organic waste treatment, and biogas production. This research study focuses on assessing the potential of CW and CM, both individually and in co-digestion, in an anaerobic environment, as a potential treatment for such wastes. The study also evaluated biogas yield and composition using an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor with different CW and CM mixtures. The findings indicate that the 30CM:70CW ratio exhibited the highest methane yield, surpassing other assays in co-digestion and mono-digestion. Furthermore, the UASB reactor showed that a 90CW:10CM mixture produced 25.73 L of biogas per gram of volatile solids (VS) daily, comprising 60 % methane (CH4) and 40 % carbon dioxide (CO2). This research demonstrates the potential for efficient and environmentally friendly treatment of CM and CW through optimized co-digestion and UASB technology, highlighting the opportunity to generate biogas while reducing waste.