This study showed total excreta produced by
73 people (19 male adult, 19 female adult, 17 male
children and 18 female children) was 18.97kg per day.
Given an average household of 5, (2 adults and 3
children), 1321g (1.3kg) of feaces would be generated.
Therefore, 500 households in any of the communities
would generate 660,500g (660.5kg) of excreta. The
cumulative volume of gas generated from 5kg of human
excreta, combined with 15 kg of leftover rice; 5kg of
vegetable waste and 25kg of water resulted in 0.167m3
biogas. By extrapolation, 500 households, generating
515kg of excreta; using 1,546kg of waste rice; 515kg of
vegetables waste and 2,579kg of water, can generate
83.5m3 biogas. This quantity of biogas can power 55kw
electricity generating set which can provide Community
Street light for more than 6 hours. In the coastal
communities of the Niger Delta where modern waste
management practices are practically nonexistent,
human excreta and household food wastes are
discharged directly into the rivers and creeks, resulting
in obnoxious effects such as foul smell, pollution and
filth and even mosquito infestation. The outcome of this
research has given a clear direction on how to treat
domestic wastes (which in effect are resources) for
bioconversion. As the world in general is changing from
over reliance on fossil fuels, being wasting assets,
coupled with the attendant pollution and degradation of
the environment, investment into alternative energy
sources such as biogas from wastes would contribute to
the quest to reduce energy scarcity, guard against
ecological disasters, elimination and/or control
deforestation and erosion of the soil surface in
particular and the environment in general. Therefore,
for developing countries of Africa and especially Nigeria
to surmount her current energy, environmental, food,
health and unemployment crises, the anaerobic
digestion of biodegradable wastes in general;
excreta/household food wastes in particular should be
given the attention it deserves.
Keywords :
Human Excreta, Household Biodegradable Wastes, Coastal Communities, Anaerobic Digestion, Electricity Generation
