title: Biohydrogen production from starch in wastewater under thermophilic condition.
abstract: Batch experiments were conducted to convert starch in wastewater into hydrogen at 55 degrees C at various wastewater pH (4.0-9.0) and starch concentrations (9.2-36.6 g/l). The maximum hydrogen yield of 92 ml/g of starch added (17% of the theoretical value) was found at wastewater pH 6.0, and the maximum specific hydrogen production rate of 365 ml/(g-VSS.d) was at wastewater pH 7.0. The methane-free biogas contained up to 60% of hydrogen. The mixed liquor was composed mostly of acetate (40.2-53.4%) and butyrate (26.0-40.9%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences of the 72 clones developed from the sludge at pH 6.0 shows that 85.7% of the clones were closely affiliated with genus Thermoanaerobacterium in family Thermoanaerobacteriaceae; the remaining 14.3% were with an uncultured Saccharococcus sp. clone ETV-T2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, University of Hong Kong, Pokulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Herbert H P
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D005285:Fermentation; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants; D006859:Hydrogen; D013213:Starch