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Seasonal Changes in the Chemical Composition and Anaerobic Digestibility of Harvested Submerged Macrophytes

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Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is an effective method for treating excessive submerged macrophytes, which are causing severe environmental issues worldwide. The biomethane potential (BMP) of submerged macrophytes varies depending on the seasonal changes in the lignin content of each species and the species composition of harvested submerged macrophytes. In this study, the seasonality of the chemical composition and BMP of three dominant submerged macrophytes species, i.e., Egeria densa, Elodea nuttallii, and Potamogeton maackianus, were elucidated. The theoretical monthly methane yield (TMMY) and theoretical annual methane yield (TAMY) of the submerged macrophytes harvested from Lake Biwa were then estimated. The methane yields of E. densa and E. nuttallii were 212–252 and 189–284 mL g-VS−1, respectively, while that of P. maackianus was lower, at 140–165 mL g-VS−1. Although chemical composition parameters, such as the lignin content, significantly changed between different seasons (p < 0.05), they range from only 7.8–14.6%. Therefore, the seasonal variations in the methane yield of the harvested submerged macrophytes depend on the species composition. The calculated TMMY of submerged macrophytes harvested from Lake Biwa was lower from autumn to spring (171–186 mL g-VS−1) than that in summer (213–231 mL g-VS−1) due to the predominance of P. maackianus. The estimated TAMYs for several years revealed that a constant volume of methane gas could be obtained annually from the harvested submerged macrophyte.

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Funding

This study was partially supported by “The Environment Research and Technology Development Fund” from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (4-1406, 2014–2016), the Lake Biwa Policy Division, Department of Lake Biwa and the Environment, Shiga Prefectural Government, and the Ohmi Environment Conservation Foundation for the donation of macrophytes, and the Yokohama Hokubu Sludge Treatment Center for the donation of anaerobic sludge.

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Author notes

  1. Mitsuhiko Koyama

    Present address: Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan

  2. Shinichi Akizuki

    Present address: Division of Engineering, University of Guanajuato, Av. Juárez 77, Zona Centro, 36000, Guanajuato, Gto, Mexico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Restration Ecology, Graduate School of Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, 192-8577, Tokyo, Japan

    Masaaki Fujiwara & Mitsuhiko Koyama

  2. Laboratory of Restoration Ecology, Faculy of Science and Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, 192-8577, Tokyo, Japan

    Masaaki Fujiwara, Shinichi Akizuki, Keiko Watanabe & Tatsuki Toda

  3. Lake Biwa Environmental Research Institute, 5-34 Yanagasaki, Otsu, Shiga, 520-0022, Japan

    Kanako Ishikawa

  4. School of Environmental Science, University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka-cho, Hikone, Shiga, 522-8533, Japan

    Syuhei Ban

  5. Institute of Marine Biotechnology, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

    Tatsuki Toda

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  1. Masaaki Fujiwara
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Fujiwara, M., Koyama, M., Akizuki, S. et al. Seasonal Changes in the Chemical Composition and Anaerobic Digestibility of Harvested Submerged Macrophytes. Bioenerg. Res. 13, 683–692 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-019-10082-x

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