Bioelectrochemical hydrogen production from different fermentation products and their mixture
Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) bioelectrochemically convert organic matter into hydrogen using exoelectrogenic bacteria. MEC has been extensively studied in recent decades due to its potential to remove organic pollutants and produce green hydrogen simultaneously. Despite recent substantial advances, MEC technology is still far from practical application in dealing with wastewater. For sustainable application of MECs, it is important to secure an economical and readily available substrate such as organic waste fermentation effluent (OFE) rich in simple organic molecules and relatively low in suspended particles. OFE consists mainly of short-chain organic acids (e.g., acetate, propionate, lactate, and butyrate) and ethanol, although their composition varies with the feedstock and conditions of fermentation.