Enhancing bio-hydrogen and biogas yields through optimized ultrasonic pretreatment of algal biomass for sustainable energy production
Asad A. Zaidi,
Sohaib Z. Khan,
Hamad Almohamadi,
Enio Pedone Bandarra Filho,
Noreen Sher Akbar,
M. Imran Khan,
Fahid Riaz,
Muhammad Farooq
Affiliations
Asad A. Zaidi
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, P. O. Box 170, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, PR China; Sustainability Research Center, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Sohaib Z. Khan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, P. O. Box 170, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Sustainability Research Center, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Corresponding authors.
Hamad Almohamadi
Sustainability Research Center, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, P. O. Box 170, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Enio Pedone Bandarra Filho
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Noreen Sher Akbar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
M. Imran Khan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fahid Riaz
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Muhammad Farooq
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Corresponding authors.
Algae are a promising resource for sustainable energy production, including biogas and bio-hydrogen. This study investigates the effect of ultrasonic (US) pretreatment on Enteromorpha algae to enhance biogas yields. Using response surface methodology (RSM), three key parameters—sonication time, amplitude, and liquid-to-solid ratio—were optimized, with cumulative biogas production as the response. The optimal conditions (5 min sonication, 30 % amplitude, 20:1 liquid-to-solid ratio) resulted in a maximum cumulative biogas production of 373 ml and a bio-hydrogen yield of 32.7 % (v/v). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant cell wall disruption, enhancing substrate availability for microbial digestion. However, prolonged sonication reduced yields due to inhibitory effects. Kinetic modeling with Modified Gompertz and Logistic Function models demonstrated faster reaction rates and higher production potentials for pretreated samples. This study highlights the potential of US pretreatment for improving the biodegradability of algae, offering an efficient and sustainable method for bioenergy production.
