GC: n
CT: Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, biodegradable waste, energy crops or any other biodegradable feedstock. Biogas is comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide.
S: BG – http://www.big-east.eu/info_biogas/info_biogas.html (last access: 2 December 2014)
N: 1. bio (prefix): word-forming element, from Greek bio-, comb. form of bios “one’s life, course or way of living, lifetime” (as opposed to zoe “animal life, organic life”), from PIE root gweie- “to live”.
The correct usage is that indicated in the biography, but in modern science it has been extended to mean “organic life.”
gas (n): 1650s, from Dutch gas, probably from Greek khaos “empty space”. The sound of Dutch “g” is roughly equivalent to that of Greek “kh.” First used by Flemish chemist J.B. van Helmont (1577-1644), probably influenced by Paracelsus, who used khaos in an occult sense of “proper elements of spirits” or “ultra-rarified water,” which was van Helmont’s definition of gas. Modern scientific sense began 1779, with later specialization to “combustible mix of vapors” (1794, originally coal gas); “anesthetic” (1894, originally nitrous oxide); and “poison gas” (1900). Meaning “intestinal vapors” is from 1882. “The success of this artificial word is unique”. As short for gasoline, it is American English, first recorded in 1905.
2. Biogas is the type of gas that is produced in an anaerobic digester.
3. Biogas is mostly made of methane and carbon dioxide plus small amounts of some other gases. Biogas generally contains 55%-75% methane and 24%-44% carbon dioxide, with the other gases making up 1% or less of the mixture.
4. Since biogas is made from organic material, it is sometimes also called “renewable natural gas.”
5. One main advantage of biogas is the waste reduction potential. Biogas production by anaerobic digestion is popular for treating biodegradable waste because valuable fuel can be produced while destroying disease-causing pathogens and reducing the volume of disposed waste products.
S: 1. Etymonline – http://goo.gl/KK99Yq (last access: 2 December 2014). 2 to 4. ABC – http://www.americanbiogascouncil.org/biogas_questions.asp (last access: 2 December 2014). 5. BE – http://www.big-east.eu/info_biogas/info_biogas.html (last access: 2 December 2014).
GV: bio-gas
S: GDT (last access: 2 December 2014); TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 2 December 2014).
SYN: digester gas
S: GDT (last access: 2 December 2014).
CR: anaerobic digestion, bioconversion, biodegradation, bioelectricity, bioethanol, biofertilizer, biofuel, biomass, biomass energy, fermentation, liquid manure, manure.
