Potential use of thermophilic dark fermentation effluents in photofermentative hydrogen production by Rhodobacter capsulatus

Ozgur E., Afsar N., de Vrije T., Yucel M., GÜNDÜZ U., Claassen P. A. M., ...More

JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, vol.18, 2010 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 18
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.02.020
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Keywords: Rhodobacter capsulatus, Biohydrogen, Molasses, Potato steam peels, Dark fermentation, Photofermentation, BIOHYDROGEN PRODUCTION, PHOTO-FERMENTATION, WASTE-WATER, PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA, SPHAEROIDES OU001, 2-STEP PROCESS, ACETATE, MOLASSES, 2-STAGE, PHOTOPRODUCTION
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Biological hydrogen production by a sequential operation of dark and photofermentation is a promising route to produce hydrogen. The possibility of using renewable resources, like biomass and agro-industrial wastes, provides a dual effect of sustainability in biohydrogen production and simultaneous waste removal. In this study, photofermentative hydrogen production on effluents of thermophilic dark fermentations on glucose, potato steam peels (PSP) hydrolysate and molasses was investigated in indoor, batch operated bioreactors. An extreme thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus was used in the dark fermentation step, and Rhodobacter capsulatus (DSM1710) was used in the photofermentation step. Addition of buffer, Fe and Mo to dark fermentor effluents (DFEs) improved the overall efficiency of hydrogen production. The initial acetate concentration in the DFE needed to be adjusted to 30-40 mM by dilution to increase the yield of hydrogen in batch light-supported fermentations. The thermophilic DFEs are suitable for photofermentative hydrogen production, provided that they are supplemented with buffer and nutrients. The overall hydrogen yield of the two-step fermentations was higher than the yield of single step dark fermentations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.