title: Biohydrogen production as a function of pH and substrate concentration.
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).
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil & Construction Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames 50011-3232, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Ginkel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lay
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013395:Sucrose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D013395:Sucrose; D006859:Hydrogen