Bioconversion of Organic Residues for Rural Communities (UNU, 1979, 178 p.): Biogas generation: developments. Problems, and tasks

Bioconversion of Organic Residues for Rural Communities (UNU, 1979, 178 p.)

Biogas generation: developments. Problems, and tasks - an overview

		(introduction...)
		Introduction
		What is biogas?
		Microbiology of CH4, or bio-methanogenesis
		The biogas plant-some technical considerations
		Environmental and operational considerations
		Developments and processes for rural areas
		Cost-benefit analyses
		Health hazards
		Bottlenecks, considerations, and research and development
		References
		Discussion summary

Health hazards

Health hazards are associated with the handling of night soil and with the use of sludge from untreated human excrete as fertilizer.

In general, published data indicate that a digestion time of 14 days at 35 C is effective in killing (99.9 per cent die-off rate) the enteric bacterial pathogens and the enteric group of viruses. However, the die-off rate for roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and hookworm (Ancylostoma) is only 90 per cent, which is still high. In this context, biogas production would provide a public health benefit beyond that of any other treatment in managing the rural health environment of developing countries.