Evaluation of biogas production from water buffalo (<i>Bubalus bubalis</i>) manure under tropical climate conditions

Hansel David Frías Cruz; José Aurelio Sosa Olivier; José Ramón Laines Canepa; Andrea Sánchez Fuentes; Ángel Daniel Paz Torres; Hansel David Frías Cruz; José Aurelio Sosa Olivier; José Ramón Laines Canepa; Andrea Sánchez Fuentes; Ángel Daniel Paz Torres

doi:10.3934/energy.2026012

AIMS Energy

2026, Volume 14, Issue 1: 275-290. doi: 10.3934/energy.2026012

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Research article

Evaluation of biogas production from water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) manure under tropical climate conditions

Academic Division of Biological Sciences, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Carretera Villahermosa-Cárdenas km 0.5, 86039 Zip code, Tabasco, México

Received: 31 October 2025 Revised: 02 February 2026 Accepted: 05 February 2026 Published: 28 February 2026

In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) manure as a substrate for biogas production under tropical environmental conditions in southeastern Mexico. The manure was collected from a livestock unit in Chiapas and processed in a 64 m³ lagoon-type anaerobic digester. The substrate was characterized through proximate and elemental analyses, and its chemical formulas and theoretical biogas composition were estimated. Additionally, physicochemical parameters (pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD)) and biogas composition (CH₄, CO₂, H₂S) were monitored throughout the study. Our results indicated that buffalo manure exhibits favorable properties for anaerobic digestion, with high moisture content (>80%), adequate volatile solids, and adequate carbon and nitrogen contents. Over 14 weeks of operation, the system maintained stable conditions of pH (7.7–8.0) and redox potential (−180 to −280 mV), reflecting an efficient transition toward the methanogenic phase. COD removal efficiency reached 86.6%, with a degradation constant of k = 0.147 week⁻¹. The biogas produced showed a stable CH₄ content (58–60% v/v) and low H₂S concentrations (<22 ppm), which were eliminated after filtration, achieving calorific values up to 25.51 MJ/m³, highlighting its potential contribution to decentralized renewable energy systems in tropical rural regions.
- anaerobic digestion,
- calorific value,
- circular economy,
- chemical oxygen demand,
- methane
Citation: Hansel David Frías Cruz, José Aurelio Sosa Olivier, José Ramón Laines Canepa, Andrea Sánchez Fuentes, Ángel Daniel Paz Torres. Evaluation of biogas production from water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) manure under tropical climate conditions[J]. AIMS Energy, 2026, 14(1): 275-290. doi: 10.3934/energy.2026012

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Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) manure as a substrate for biogas production under tropical environmental conditions in southeastern Mexico. The manure was collected from a livestock unit in Chiapas and processed in a 64 m³ lagoon-type anaerobic digester. The substrate was characterized through proximate and elemental analyses, and its chemical formulas and theoretical biogas composition were estimated. Additionally, physicochemical parameters (pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD)) and biogas composition (CH₄, CO₂, H₂S) were monitored throughout the study. Our results indicated that buffalo manure exhibits favorable properties for anaerobic digestion, with high moisture content (>80%), adequate volatile solids, and adequate carbon and nitrogen contents. Over 14 weeks of operation, the system maintained stable conditions of pH (7.7–8.0) and redox potential (−180 to −280 mV), reflecting an efficient transition toward the methanogenic phase. COD removal efficiency reached 86.6%, with a degradation constant of k = 0.147 week⁻¹. The biogas produced showed a stable CH₄ content (58–60% v/v) and low H₂S concentrations (<22 ppm), which were eliminated after filtration, achieving calorific values up to 25.51 MJ/m³, highlighting its potential contribution to decentralized renewable energy systems in tropical rural regions.

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