Altaf Alam Noonari Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar, Balochistan. Muhammad Safar Korai Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, Mehran UET, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Ayaz Ali Shah Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede111, Aalborg 9220, Denmark. Nida Rabab School of Environmental Science and Engineering, SJTU, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China Rizwan Rasheed Sustainable Development Study Centre, GC University Lahore-54000, Pakistan Zulfiquar Ali Solangi Chemical Engineering Department, MUET, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Zilfiquar Ali Bhatti Chemical Engineering Department, MUET, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Abstract

The urban environment of every city of Pakistan has been degraded because of open dumping and burning of organic wastes along with other wastes. The focus of this study was to evaluate the fruit and vegetable wastes for methane generation through biomethanation process. After collection, various parameters such as alkalinity, volatile fatty acids, pH, lignin content, moisture content, total solids, volatile solids, fixed carbon, and elements (C, H, N, O, S) of waste samples were determined by using standard methodology. Anaerobic biodegradability of fruit and vegetable wastes was observed from 54 to 77% and from 59 to 87% along with their methane generation potential in the range of 258-367 NmL /gmVS and 274-407 NmL/gmVS, respectively. Further, the effect of feedstock to inoculum ratio was studied. The result of that showed that lower methane potential at a higher ratio and vice versa was observed. It was concluded that at a lower feedstock to inoculum ratio, fruit as well as vegetable wastes become more feasible for the biomethanation process. The study recommends that the conversion of fruit and vegetable wastes into methane gas by anaerobic digestion plays a significant role to save urban environment of the country.

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