Biohydrogen production as a function of pH and substrate concentration

Environ Sci Technol. 2001 Dec 15;35(24):4726-30. doi: 10.1021/es001979r.

Abstract

The conversion of organics in wastewaters into hydrogen gas could serve the dual role of renewable energy production and waste reduction. The chemical energy in a sucrose rich synthetic wastewater was recovered as hydrogen gas in this study. Using fractional factorial design batch experiments, the effect of varying pH (4.5-7.5) and substrate concentration (1.5-44.8 g COD/L) and their interaction on hydrogen gas production were tested. Mixed bacterial cultures obtained from a compost pile, a potato field, and a soybean field were heated to inhibit hydrogen-consuming methanogens and to enrich sporeforming, hydrogen-producing acidogens. It was determined that the highest rate (74.7 mL H2/(L*h)) of hydrogen production occurred at a pH of 5.5 and a substrate concentration of 7.5 g COD/Lwith a conversion efficiency of 38.9 mL H2/(g COD/L). The highest conversion efficiency was 46.6 mL H2/(g COD/L).

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Anaerobiosis
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Bioreactors / microbiology*
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Hydrogen / metabolism*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Soil Microbiology*
  • Sucrose / chemistry
  • Sucrose / metabolism*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods

Substances

  • Sucrose
  • Hydrogen