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Comparative Analysis of Additives for Enhanced Biohydrogen Production via Dark Fermentation

  • Clean Energy Materials: Production and Characterization
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Abstract

Dark fermentation holds promise as a strategy for biohydrogen production, utilizing a wide range of biomass substrates and aiding in waste management. However, it typically exhibits lower yields compared to conventional thermal processes such as reforming. To overcome this limitation, the use of additives to enhance microbial activity and improve yields has been explored. However, the application of organic and inorganic additives in dark fermentation remains limited. This study aims to address this gap by examining the effects of three types of compounds (zero valent iron nanoparticles or NP Fe(0), active carbon, and hydrochar) on dark fermentation and hydrogen generation. Notably, hydrochar exhibits the most promising results, increasing H2 production by 20.3%, with the highest biohydrogen yield being 92 mLH2/g of glucose. The distribution of volatile fatty acids indicated that the butyric and acetic pathways were utilized for H2 production. It is also important to consider the alkalinity of the feedstock, as high levels can increase the pH in the media and favor the production of methane (CH4) as the main fermentation product. In this case, NP Fe(0) is revealed as the additive that most favors methane generation, resulting in 6.1% higher production compared to the control assay. The analysis of the microbial community revealed that the digestate from an anaerobic reactor of a municipal wastewater treatment plant contains 4.24 times more Clostridium sensu stricto 1 than that from a sugar beet digester, which promotes the sustainable conversion of carbonaceous matter into hydrogen.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge support of this work by the CDTI-Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation in the frame of the project H24NEWAGE (Ref. CER-20211002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CARTIF Technology Centre, 47151, Boecillo, Valladolid, Spain

    Dolores Hidalgo, Enrique Pérez-Zapatero, Jesús M. Martín-Marroquín, Miguel A. Sánchez-Gatón & Marta Gómez

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  1. Dolores Hidalgo
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  2. Enrique Pérez-Zapatero
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Correspondence to Dolores Hidalgo.

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Hidalgo, D., Pérez-Zapatero, E., Martín-Marroquín, J.M. et al. Comparative Analysis of Additives for Enhanced Biohydrogen Production via Dark Fermentation. JOM 76, 141–152 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-023-06231-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-023-06231-5

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