Dark and acidic conditions for fermentative hydrogen production

Bacterial consortium capable of producing hydrogen in low pH (LpH) range of 3.3–4.3 is reported in this study. This operational pH is two full units below that of previously reported hydrogen producing organisms. Low pH inocula were derived from a batch biohydrogen reactor inoculated with heat treated compost (∼120 °C, 2 h), which was allowed to accumulate biogas to reach three atmospheres of equivalent headspace pressure and system pH of 3.0. Acclimation effect had positive influence on H₂ production and LpH inocula were passed sequentially into more than 15 generations to achieve consistent conversion efficiency and hydrogen composition, further tested in 23 other culture cycles. With hydrogen composition in the headspace ranging from 50% to 60%, conversion efficiency of ∼43% achieved in LpH systems is comparable to that of other buffered systems. Feasibility of hydrogen production in LpH systems is demonstrated in unbuffered reactors under intermittent pressure release conditions and in absence of initial pH adjustment and stirring. Conversion efficiencies, however, decreased by ∼1-fold for each 3 °C drop below the optimum temperature of 22 °C.     

Feasibility of biohydrogen production at low temperatures in unbuffered reactors

Feasibility of biohydrogen production by dark fermentation at two temperatures (22 °C and 37 °C) in unbuffered batch reactors was evaluated using heat-treated compost as inocula and sucrose as substrate, without any initial pH adjustment or inorganic nutrient supplements. Gas production was quantified by two different pressure release methods – intermittent pressure release (IPR) and continuous pressure release (CPR). Hydrogen production (47.2 mL/g COD/L) and sucrose-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency (53%) were both found to be highest at the lower temperature and IPR conditions. Hydrogen production was higher at the lower temperature irrespective of the pressure release condition. The high yield of 4.3 mol of hydrogen/mole of sucrose obtained in this study under IPR conditions at 22 °C is equivalent to or better than the literature values reported for buffered reactors. Even though literature reports have implied potential inhibition of hydrogen production at high hydrogen partial pressures resulting from IPR conditions, our results did not show any negative effects at hydrogen partial pressures exceeding 5.0 × 10⁴ Pa. While our findings are contrary to literature reports, they make a strong case for cost-effective hydrogen production by dark fermentation.