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Welcome to The Bioplex Project

The Bioplex Project (PDF Version) is a multidisciplinary research project focusing on adding value to agricultural residuals through anaerobic digestion.

Why Anaerobic Digestion?
Anaerobic digestion adds value to agricultural residuals in several different ways. Methane gas produced by the fermentation process is used as a green energy source. However, the economic value of the gas alone does not justify construction of anaerobic digesters. The real value is the ability of the process to conserve nitrogen for fertilizer use. The process also removes pathogens and reduces the odor of manures; environmental benefits also include reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with decomposition of livestock residuals, and reduction in the organic pollution load and total solids content of material, especially in phosphorus impaired watersheds.
  1. Effluent as Fertilizer [PDF Version]
  2. Reduction in pathogens [PDF Version]
  3. Odor Reduction
How does a digester work? [PDF Version]
What are the different operating temperatures?
What are the different types of digesters?
What are the economics of anaerobic digestion?
Farm Digesters vs. Central Digesters
Why Digest Poultry Litter?

All material used for these experiments is generated from the 10,000 gallon pilot plant on the campus of WVSU.
The Digester Pilot-Plant

Research at the WVSU Bioplex Project focuses on:

Process Control of Anaerobic Digestion [PDF Version]
Microbial Diversity of Anaerobic Digesters
Pathogen Reduction of Digested Materials Link
     - Removal of Cryptosporidium Muris [PDF Version]
     - Control of Bacterial, Protozoal, And Helminth Pathogens
Field Fertilizer Trials with Effluent
Greenhouse Fertilizer Trials with Effluent

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