title: Removal and recovery of inhibitory volatile fatty acids from mixed acid fermentations by conventional electrodialysis.
abstract: Hydrogen production during dark fermentation is inhibited by the co-production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetic and n-butyric acid. In this study, the effectiveness of conventional electrodialysis (CED) in reducing VFA concentrations in model solutions and hydrogen fermentation broths is evaluated. This is the first time CED has been reported to remove VFAs from hydrogen fermentation broths. During 60 min of operation CED removed up to 99% of VFAs from model solutions, sucrose-fed and grass-fed hydrogen fermentation broths, containing up to 1200 mg l(-1) each of acetic acid, propionic acid, i-butyric acid, n-butyric acid, i-valeric acid, and n-valeric acid. CED's ability to remove VFAs from hydrogen fermentation broths suggests that this technology is capable of improving hydrogen yields from dark fermentation.
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: rhys.jones@southwales.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rhys Jon
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Massanet-Nicolau
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guwy
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Giuliano C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Premier
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dinsdale
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reilly
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D019149:Bioreactors; D020148:Butyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D003956:Dialysis / Q000379:methods*; D004560:Electricity; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D012996:Solutions; D020148:Butyric Acid; D013395:Sucrose; D006859:Hydrogen; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Electrodialysis; Fermentation; Hydrogen; Volatile fatty acids