Abstract:
The floating aquatic weed, Salvinia molesta (locally known as 'African
payal') could be easily fermented and hence is a very good material for biogas
production. The average gas production per kg of oven dried salvinia weed was
336 litres with a retention time of 50 days. The gas generation could be doubled
when mixed with fresh cowdung in the ratio 1:1. Thus we can make up the shortage
of cowdung with the use of salvinia weed for biogas production, wherever it is
available.