Dark fermentative hydrogen production from neutralized acid hydrolysates of conifer pulp.
Concentrated acid hydrolysis of cellulosic material results in high dissolution yields. In this study, the neutralization step of concentrated acid hydrolysate of conifer pulp was optimized. Dry conifer pulp hydrolysis with 55 % H(2)SO(4) at 45 °C for 2 h resulted in total sugar yields of 22.3-26.2 g/L. The neutralization step was optimized for solid Ca(OH)(2), liquid Ca(OH)(2) or solid CaO, mixing time, and water supplementation. The highest hydrogen yield of 1.75 mol H(2)/mol glucose was obtained with liquid Ca(OH)(2), while the use of solid Ca(OH)(2) or CaO inhibited hydrogen fermentation. Liquid Ca(OH)(2) removed sulfate to below 30 mg SO(4)                           (2-)/L. Further optimization of the neutralization conditions resulted in the yield of 2.26 mol H(2)/mol glucose.
Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, 33101 Tampere, Finland. marika.nissila@tut.fi
Marika E
ME
Nissilä
Ya-Chieh
YC
Li
Shu-Yi
SY
Wu
Jaakko A
JA
Puhakka
D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D005285:Fermentation; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D064028:Tracheophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D014867:Water; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D002482:Cellulose; C033158:sulfuric acid