Recent advances on biogranules formation in dark hydrogen fermentation system: Mechanism of formation and microbial characteristics

Hydrogen producing granules (HPGs) are most promising biological methods used to treat organic rich wastes and generate clean hydrogen energy. This review provides information regarding types of immobilization, supporting materials and microbiome involved on HPG formation and its performances. In this review, importance has been given to three kinds of immobilization techniques such as adsorption, encapsulation, and entrapment. The HPG, characteristics and types of organic and inorganic supporting materials followed for enhancing hydrogen yield were also discussed. This review also considers the applications of HPG for sustainable and high rate hydrogen production. A detailed discussion on insight of key mechanism for HPGs formation and its performances for stable operation of high rate hydrogen production system are also provided.

Improvement of hydrogen production from glucose by ferrous iron and biochar

Effects of biochar (BC) and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) additions on hydrogen (H₂) production from glucose were investigated using batch experiment. The glucose with both BC and Fe²⁺ additions were incubated at 37°C for H₂ production. As compared with the control group (without BC and Fe²⁺ additions), the synergic effects of BC and Fe²⁺ make the lag phase time decease from 4.25 to 2.12h, and H₂ yield increase from 158.0 to 234.4ml/g glucose. Moreover, suitable concentrations of BC and Fe²⁺ serve to enhance volatile fatty acid generation during H₂ evolution. These results indicate that H₂ production is improved by BC and Fe²⁺ regulations, where synergic mechanisms are described as follows: BC acts as support carriers of anaerobes and system pH buffers, which promotes the biofilm formation and maintains suitable pH environment; Appropriate Fe²⁺ concentration can improve hydrogenase activity in H₂ production.

The effect of methanogenesis inhibition, inoculum and substrate concentration on hydrogen and carboxylic acids production from cassava wastewater

Manipueira is a carbohydrate-rich agro-industrial waste from cassava processing. It is considered well suitable for biotechnological processes, such as hydrogen and carboxylic acids production, due to the high content of easily degradable organic matter. However, the proper methanogenesis inhibition method, inoculum type, and organic loads are factors still limiting the processes. The objective in this work was to evaluate the effects of such factors on byproducts production in anaerobic reactors. Batch experiments were conducted with 2.3-L flasks during two operational phases. In the first phase (P1), inhibition of methanogens in the sludge was evaluated using acetylene (1% v/v of headspace) and heat treatment (120 °C, 1 atm for 30 min). In the second phase (P2), three inoculum types obtained from common anaerobic sludges (bovine rumen and sludges from municipal and textile industrial wastewater treatment plants) were individually assayed. P2 aimed to identify the best inoculum, based on hydrogen production ability, which was tested for three initial concentrations of manipueira in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (10, 20 and 40 g O₂/L). Results of P1 indicated that either acetylene or heat treatment efficiently inhibited methanogenesis, with no methane production. However, the maximum H₂ production potential by applying heat treatment (~ 563 mL) was more than twice compared with that by acetylene treatment (~ 257 mL); and butyrate was the main carboxylic acid by-product (~ 3 g/L). In P2 experiments after sludge heat treatment, the highest hydrogen yield (1.66 ± 0.07 mol H₂/mol glucose) and caproic acid production (~ 2 g/L) were observed at 20 g O₂/L of manipueira COD, when bovine rumen was the inoculum. The primary metabolic degradation products in all P2 experiments were ethanol, acetic, butyric, propionic and caproic acids. The finding of caproic acid detection indicated that the applied conditions in manipueira anaerobic degradation favored carbon chain elongation over methanogenesis.

Recent insights into the cell immobilization technology applied for dark fermentative hydrogen production

The contribution and insights of the immobilization technology in the recent years with regards to the generation of (bio)hydrogen via dark fermentation have been reviewed. The types of immobilization practices, such as entrapment, encapsulation and adsorption, are discussed. Materials and carriers used for cell immobilization are also comprehensively surveyed. New development of nano-based immobilization and nano-materials has been highlighted pertaining to the specific subject of this review. The microorganisms and the type of carbon sources applied in the dark hydrogen fermentation are also discussed and summarized. In addition, the essential components of process operation and reactor configuration using immobilized microbial cultures in the design of varieties of bioreactors (such as fixed bed reactor, CSTR and UASB) are spotlighted. Finally, suggestions and future directions of this field are provided to assist the development of efficient, economical and sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

Critical analysis of hydrogen production from mixed culture fermentation under thermophilic condition (60 °C)

Bio-hydrogen production from mixed culture fermentation (MCF) of glucose was studied by conducting a comprehensive product measurement and detailed mass balance analysis of their contributions to the final H2 yield. The culture used in this study was enriched on glucose at 60 °C through a sequential batch operation consisting of daily glucose feeds, headspace purging and medium replacement every third day in serum bottles for over 2 years. 2-Bromoethanesulfonate (BES) was only required during the first three 3-day cycles to permanently eliminate methanogenic activity. Daily glucose feeds were fully consumed within 24 h, with a persistent H2 yield of 2.7 ± 0.1 mol H2/mol glucose, even when H2 was allowed to accumulate over the 3-day cycle. The measured H2 production exceeded by 14 % the theoretical production of H2 associated with the fermentation products, dominated by acetate and butyrate. Follow-up experiments using acetate with a (13)C-labelled methyl group showed that the excess H2 production was not due to acetate oxidation. Chemical formula analysis of the biomass showed a more reduced form of C5H11.8O2.1N1.1 suggesting that the biomass formation may even consume produced H2 from fermentation.

Development and calibration of a model for biohydrogen production from organic waste

Existing models for H2 production are capable of predicting digester failure caused by a specific disturbance. However, they are based on studies using simple sugars, while it is known that H2 production and fermentation kinetics vary with the composition and characteristics of the substrate used. Because the behaviour of biological processes may differ significantly when the digesting material is a complex matrix, such as organic waste, the aim of this study was to develop and calibrate a mathematical model for the prediction of hydrogen production on the basis of the results obtained from a laboratory scale experimental study using source-selected organic waste. The calibration was carried out for the most important kinetic parameters in mesophilic anaerobic digestion processes and also served as a sensitivity analysis for the influence of both the specific growth rate (μmax and the half velocity constant (k(s)), both of which are strongly dependant on the substrate used. High values of μmax led to a shorter lag-time and to an overestimate of the cumulative final H2 production relative to the experimentally measured production. Additionally, high values of ks associated with amino acid and sugar fermentation corresponded to a lower rate of substrate consumption and to a greater lag-time for growth of hydrogen-producing microorganisms. In this case, a lower final H2 production was predicted than that which was experimentally observed. Because the model development and calibration provided useful information concerning the role of the kinetic constants in the analysis of a fermentative H2 production process from organic wastes, they may also represent a good foundation for the analysis of fermentative H2 production from organic waste for pilot and full-scale applications.

States and challenges for high-value biohythane production from waste biomass by dark fermentation technology

Hythane (H2+CH4) has attracted growing attention due to its versatile advantages as, for instance vehicle fuel. Biohythane consisting of biohydrogen and biomethane via two-stage fermentation is a potential high-value solution for the valorization of waste biomass resources and probably an alternative to the fossil based hythane. However, the significance and application potential of biohythane have not yet been fully recognized. This review focuses on the progress of biohydrogen and subsequent biomethane fermentation in terms of substrate, microbial consortium, reactor configuration, as well as the H2/CH4 ratio from the perspective of the feasibility of biohythane production in the past ten years. The current paper also covers how controls of the microbial consortium and bioprocess, system integration influence the biohythane productivity. Challenges and perspectives on biohythane technology will finally be addressed. This review provides a state-of-the-art technological insight into biohythane production by two-stage dark fermentation from biomass.

Extreme thermophilic biohydrogen production from wheat straw hydrolysate using mixed culture fermentation: effect of reactor configuration

Hydrogen production from hemicellulose-rich wheat straw hydrolysate was investigated in continuously-stirred tank reactor (CSTR), up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor, and anaerobic filter (AF) reactor. The CSTR was operated at an hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days, and the UASB and AF reactors were operated at 1 day HRT, using mixed extreme thermophiles at 70 °C. The highest hydrogen production yield of 212.0±6.6 mL-H₂/g-sugars, corresponding to a hydrogen production rate of 821.4±25.5 mL-H₂/dL was achieved with the UASB reactor. Lowering the HRT to 2.5 days caused cell mass washout in the CSTR, while the UASB and AF reactors gave fluctuating and reducing hydrogen production at a 0.5-day HRT. The original rate and yield were recovered when the HRT was increased back to 1 day. These results demonstrate that reactor configuration is an important factor for enhancing and stabilizing H₂ production.

Biohydrogen production from wheat straw hydrolysate by dark fermentation using extreme thermophilic mixed culture

Hydrolysate was tested as substrate for hydrogen production by extreme thermophilic mixed culture (70 degrees C) in both batch and continuously fed reactors. Hydrogen was produced at hydrolysate concentrations up to 25% (v/v), while no hydrogen was produced at hydrolysate concentration of 30% (v/v), indicating that hydrolysate at high concentrations was inhibiting the hydrogen fermentation process. In addition, the lag phase for hydrogen production was strongly influenced by the hydrolysate concentration, and was prolonged from approximately 11 h at the hydrolysate concentrations below 20% (v/v) to 38 h at the hydrolysate concentration of 25% (v/v). The maximum hydrogen yield as determined in batch assays was 318.4 +/- 5.2 mL-H(2)/g-sugars (14.2 +/- 0.2 mmol-H(2)/g-sugars) at the hydrolysate concentration of 5% (v/v). Continuously fed, and the continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR), operating at 3 day hydraulic retention time (HRT) and fed with 20% (v/v) hydrolysate could successfully produce hydrogen. The hydrogen yield and production rate were 178.0 +/- 10.1 mL-H(2)/g-sugars (7.9 +/- 0.4 mmol H(2)/g-sugars) and 184.0 +/- 10.7 mL-H(2)/day L(reactor) (8.2 +/- 0.5 mmol-H(2)/day L(reactor)), respectively, corresponding to 12% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from sugars. Additionally, it was found that toxic compounds, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), contained in the hydrolysate were effectively degraded in the CSTR, and their concentrations were reduced from 50 and 28 mg/L, respectively, to undetectable concentrations in the effluent. Phylogenetic analysis of the mixed culture revealed that members involved hydrogen producers in both batch and CSTR reactors were phylogenetically related to the Caldanaerobacter subteraneus, Thermoanaerobacter subteraneus, and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum.

Biohydrogen production from xylose at extreme thermophilic temperatures (70 degrees C) by mixed culture fermentation

Biohydrogen production from xylose at extreme thermophilic temperatures (70 degrees C) was investigated in batch and continuous-mode operation. Biohydrogen was successfully produced from xylose by repeated batch cultivations with mixed culture received from a biohydrogen reactor treating household solid wastes at 70 degrees C. The highest hydrogen yield of 1.62+/-0.02 mol-H2/mol-xylose(consumed) was obtained at initial xylose concentration of 0.5 g/L with synthetic medium amended with 1g/L of yeast extract. Lower hydrogen yield was achieved at initial xylose concentration higher than 2g/L. Addition of yeast extract in the cultivation medium resulted in significant improvement of hydrogen yield. The main metabolic products during xylose fermentation were acetate, ethanol, and lactate. The specific growth rates were able to fit the experimental points relatively well with Haldane equation assuming substrate inhibition, and the following kinetic parameters were obtained: the maximum specific growth rate (mu(max)) was 0.17 h(-1), the half-saturation constant (K(s)) was 0.75g/L, and inhibition constant (K(i)) was 3.72 g/L of xylose. Intermittent N2 sparging could enhance hydrogen production when high hydrogen partial pressure (> 0.14 atm) was present in the headspace of the batch reactors. Biohydrogen could be successfully produced in continuously stirred reactor (CSTR) operated at 72-h hydraulic retention time (HRT) with 1g/L of xylose as substrate at 70 degrees C. The hydrogen production yield achieved in the CSTR was 1.36+/-0.03 mol-H2/mol-xylose(sonsumed), and the production rate was 62+/-2 ml/d x L(reactor). The hydrogen content in the methane-free mixed gas was approximately 31+/-1%, and the rest was carbon dioxide. The main intermediate by-products from the effluent were acetate, formate, and ethanol at 4.25+/-0.10, 3.01+/-0.11, and 2.59+/-0.16 mM, respectively.