Mild-thermal Pretreatment of Agro-Residues Enhances Biomethanation Potential: a Comparative Study of Napier Grass and Rice Straw

Lignocellulosic agro-residues can be used as a low-cost raw material for the production of biomethane, which in turn can be used as a sustainable alternative for conventional fossil fuels. In the present study, the effect of mild-thermal pretreatment on the biomethanation potential of two different lignocellulosic substrates, rice straw and napier grass, was evaluated. The substrates were thermally pretreated at 80 °C and 120 °C for 1 h and further subjected to anaerobic digestion at 30 °C for 40 days. The thermally pretreated napier grass showed a methane yield enhancement of 14