Anaerobically Digested Manure Fiber for Environmental Cleanup and Remediation

This project addresses two issues important to agricultural producers. First, the high cost of implementing manure management strategies, such as installing and operating anaerobic digesters and therefore the need to optimize return on investment by developing value-added products from the residuals. Second is that biomass (particularly large quantities of agricultural residue like wheat straw, pea vines, and other residuals) has the potential to play a significant role in the future of combustion or co-combustion power plants. However, a drawback is that the overall energy yield of these materials is modest when compared to other potential sources. The project will develop a value-added industrial absorbent product from anaerobically-digested bovine manure fiber. In preliminary studies, fiber treated post-digestion to improve certain properties has shown significant promise as a superior absorbent for petroleum products. We will characterize and optimize these properties for several types of digesters. The optimized fiber absorbent will be delivered to test customers in order to evaluate its efficacy under industrial conditions and to survey customer satisfaction with the product. Following use, the fiber will be picked up from the customers and tested to determine its energy (BTU) content. This information will determine the potential of the product following use to absorb petroleum spills to augment the energy content of agricultural residues, thus making them a more efficient source of renewable energy.