Impact of light spectra on photo-fermentative biohydrogen production by Rhodobacter sphaeroides KKU-PS1.

Purple non-sulphur bacteria can only capture up to 10 % light spectra and only 1-5 % of light is converted efficiently for biohydrogen production. To enhance light capture and conversion efficiencies, it is necessary to understand the impact of various light spectra on light harvesting pigments. During photo-fermentation, Rhodobacter sphaeroides KKU-PS1 cultivated at 30 °C and 150 rpm under different light spectra has been investigated. Results revealed that red light is more beneficial for biomass accumulation, whereas green light showed the greatest impact on photo-fermentative biohydrogen production. Light conversion efficiency by green light is 2-folds of that under control white light, hence photo-hydrogen productivity is ranked as green > red > orange > violet > blue > yellow. These experimental data demonstrated that green and red lights are essential for photo-hydrogen and biomass productions of R. sphaeroides and a clearer understanding that possibly pave the way for further photosynthetic enhancement research.

Dose-response analysis of toxic effect from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by-products on biohydrogen producing bacteria - A preliminary study on microbial density and determination of EC50.

The stimulant and toxicity effects of reported organic (acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, formic acid, oil & grease) and inorganic (copper) by-products presented in palm oil mill effluent on anaerobic bacterial population were examined in this paper. The toxicity test had shown that acetic, propionic and butyric acids tend to stimulate the bacterial density level (survival rate more than 50%), while formic acid, copper, oil and grease were shown to have suppressed the density level (survival rate less than 50%). The highest biomass recorded was 1.66 mg/L for the concentration of acetic acid at 216 mg/L and lowest biomass concentration, 0.90 mg/L for copper at 1.40 mg/L. Biohydrogen-producing bacteria have a favourable growth rate around pH 5.5. The comparison of half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values between two test duration on the effects of organic and inorganic by-products postulate that bacteria had a higher tolerance towards volatile fatty acids. While acetic, butyric and propionic acids had exhibited higher tolerance EC50 values for bacteria, but the opposite trend was observed for formic acid, copper and oil & grease.

Biohydrogen production in a three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor using sewage sludge immobilized by ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer was used to immobilize H(2)-producing sewage sludge for H(2) production in a three-phase fluidized bed reactor (FBR). The FBR with an immobilized cell packing ratio of 10% (v/v) and a liquid recycle rate of 5l/min (23% bed expansion) was optimal for dark H(2) fermentation. The performance of the FBR reactor fed with sucrose-based synthetic medium was examined under various sucrose concentration (C(so)) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The best volumetric H(2) production rate of 1.80+/-0.02 H(2) l/h/l occurred at C(so)=40 g COD/l and 2h HRT, while the optimal H(2) yield (4.26+/-0.04 mol H(2)/mol sucrose) was obtained at C(so)=20 g COD/l and 6h HRT. The H(2) content in the biogas was stably maintained at 40% or above. The primary soluble metabolites were butyric acid and acetic acid, as both products together accounted for 74-83% of total soluble microbial products formed during dark H(2) fermentation.

High-efficiency hydrogen production by an anaerobic, thermophilic enrichment culture from an Icelandic hot spring.

Dark fermentative hydrogen production from glucose by a thermophilic culture (33HL), enriched from an Icelandic hot spring sediment sample, was studied in two continuous-flow, completely stirred tank reactors (CSTR1, CSTR2) and in one semi-continuous, anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) at 58 degrees C. The 33HL produced H2 yield (HY) of up to 3.2 mol-H2/mol-glucose along with acetate in batch assay. In the CSTR1 with 33HL inoculum, H2 production was unstable. In the ASBR, maintained with 33HL, the H2 production enhanced after the addition of 6 mg/L of FeSO4 x H2O resulting in HY up to 2.51 mol-H2/mol-glucose (H2 production rate (HPR) of 7.85 mmol/h/L). The H2 production increase was associated with an increase in butyrate production. In the CSTR2, with ASBR inoculum and FeSO4 supplementation, stable, high-rate H2 production was obtained with HPR up to 45.8 mmol/h/L (1.1 L/h/L) and HY of 1.54 mol-H2/mol-glucose. The 33HL batch enrichment was dominated by bacterial strains closely affiliated with Thermobrachium celere (99.8-100%). T. celere affiliated strains, however, did not thrive in the three open system bioreactors. Instead, Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense (98.5-99.6%) affiliated strains, producing H2 along with butyrate and acetate, dominated the reactor cultures. This culture had higher H2 production efficiency (HY and specific HPR) than reported for mesophilic mixed cultures. Further, the thermophilic culture readily formed granules in CSTR and ASBR systems. In summary, the thermophilic culture as characterized by high H2 production efficiency and ready granulation is considered very promising for H2 fermentation from carbohydrates.

Filtration of dust in a circulating granular bed filter with conical louver plates (CGBF-CLPs).

A novel circulating granular bed filter with conical louver plates (CGBF-CLPs) was designed to remove dust particulates from the flue gas stream of a coal power plant. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the performance of the CGBF-CLPs. Dust collection efficiency and pressure drop data were analyzed to determine better operating conditions. The effect of solid mass flow rate, collector particle size and dust/collector particles separator types on the dust collection efficiency and pressure drop in the CGBF-CLPs were investigated in this study. The solid mass flow rate (B) varied from 15.59+/-0.44 to 20.36+/-0.68 g s(-1) and the initial average collector particle sizes were 1500 and 795 microm, respectively. Two types of separators, a cyclone and an inertial one, for separating the dust and collector particles were used in the CGBF-CLPs system. An Air Personal Sampler (SKC PCXR8) was used to determine the inlet and outlet dust concentrations. A differential pressure transmitter and data acquisition system were used to measure the pressure drop. Experimental results showed that the highest dust collection efficiency was 99.59% when the solid mass flow rate was 17.08+/-0.48 g s(-1) and the initial average collector particle size was 795 microm with the cyclone type separator. The results showed that the attrition fines of the original collector particles returning to the granular bed filter (GBF) reduced bed voidage. This phenomenon significantly increased the dust collection efficiency in the CGBF-CLPs. As a consequence, a bigger bed voidage creates a lower dust collection efficiency in the GBF.

Dust collection efficiency analysis in a two-dimensional circulating granular bed filter.

Dust collection efficiency data were analyzed to determine better operating conditions for a two-dimensional circulating granular bed filter (CGBF). The dust collection efficiency in the granular bed was affected by the following operating parameters: the louver angle, the solids mass flow rate, and the particle size of the bed material. Experimental results showed that higher dust collection efficiency occurs when the solids mass flow rates were 20.34 +/- 0.24, 21.50 +/- 0.11, and 30.51 +/- 0.57 g/sec at louver angles of 45 degrees, 30 degrees, and 20 degrees, respectively. Optimal dust collection efficiency peaked with a louver angle of 30 degrees. Average particle sizes of bed material by sieve diameters (microm) of 795 microm had higher dust collection efficiency than the average collector particle size of 1500 microm. Dust collection efficiency is influenced by bed material attrition phenomenon, causing dust collection efficiency to decrease rapidly. The dust collection efficiency analysis not only found the system free of design defects but also assisted in the operation of the two-dimensional CGBF system.

Fermentative hydrogen production and bacterial community structure in high-rate anaerobic bioreactors containing silicone-immobilized and self-flocculated sludge.

A novel continuously stirred anaerobic bioreactor (CSABR) seeded with silicone-immobilized sludge was developed for high-rate fermentative H2 production using sucrose as the limiting substrate. The CSABR system was operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 0.5-6 h and an influent sucrose concentration of 10-40 g COD/L. With a high feeding sucrose concentration (i.e., 30-40 g COD/L) and a short HRT (0.5 h), the CSABR reactor produced H2 more efficiently with the highest volumetric rate (VH2) of 15 L/h/L (i.e., 14.7 mol/d/L) and an optimal yield of ca. 3.5 mol H2/mol sucrose. The maximum VH2 value obtained from this work is much higher than any other VH2 values ever documented. Formation of self-flocculated granular sludge occurred during operation at a short HRT. The granule formation is thought to play a pivotal role in the dramatic enhancement of H2 production rate, because it led to more efficient biomass retention. A high biomass concentration of up to 35.4 g VSS/L was achieved even though the reactor was operated at an extremely low HRT (i.e., 0.5 h). In addition to gaining high biomass concentrations, formation of granular sludge also triggered a transition in bacterial community structure, resulting in a nearly twofold increase in the specific H2 production rate. According to denatured-gradient-gel-electrophoresis analysis, operations at a progressively decreasing HRT resulted in a decrease in bacterial population diversity. The culture with the best H2 production performance (at HRT = 0.5 h and sucrose concentration = 30 g COD/L) was eventually dominated by a presumably excellent H2-producing bacterial species identified as Clostridium pasteurianum.

Hydrogen production with immobilized sewage sludge in three-phase fluidized-bed bioreactors.

Municipal sewage sludge was immobilized with a modified alginate gel entrapment method, and the immobilized cells were used to produce hydrogen gas in a three-phase fluidized bed. The hydrogen-producing fluidized beds were operated at different liquid velocity (U(0)) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The results show that in response to operating liquid velocities, the fluidized-bed system had three flow regimes, namely, plug flow, slug flow, and free bubbling. Pressure fluctuation analysis was used to analyze the hydrodynamic properties in this three-phase fluidized bed when it was under a steady-state production of biogas. With a steady-state biogas production rate (U(g)) of 0.196 mL/s/L, a transition state occurred at a liquid velocity (U(0)) of 0.85 cm/s. As U(0) < 0.85 cm/s, the system was basically a nonhomogeneous fluidized bed, whereas the bed became homogeneous when U(0) was higher than 0.85 cm/s. The fluidized bed can be stably carried out at high loading rates (HRT as low as 2 h). Hydrogen fermentation results show that the maximal hydrogen production rate was 0.93 L/h/L and the best yield (Y(H)2(/sucrose)) was 2.67 mol H(2)/mol sucrose.

Microbial hydrogen production with immobilized sewage sludge.

Municipal sewage sludge was immobilized to produce hydrogen gas under anaerobic conditions. Cell immobilization was essentially achieved by gel entrapment approaches, which were physically or chemically modified by addition of activated carbon (AC), polyurethane (PU), and acrylic latex plus silicone (ALSC). The performance of hydrogen fermentation with a variety of immobilized-cell systems was assessed to identify the optimal type of immobilized cells for practical uses. With sucrose as the limiting carbon source, hydrogen production was more efficient with the immobilized-cell system than with the suspended-cell system, and in both cases the predominant soluble metabolites were butyric acid and acetic acid. Addition of activated carbon into alginate gel (denoted as CA/AC cells) enhanced the hydrogen production rate (v(H2)) and substrate-based yield (Y((H2)/sucrose)) by 70% and 52%, respectively, over the conventional alginate-immobilized cells. Further supplementation of polyurethane or acrylic latex/silicone increased the mechanical strength and operation stability of the immobilized cells but caused a decrease in the hydrogen production rate. Kinetic studies show that the dependence of specific hydrogen production rates on the concentration of limiting substrate (sucrose) can be described by Michaelis-Menten model with good agreement. The kinetic analysis suggests that CA/AC cells may contain higher concentration of active biocatalysts for hydrogen production, while PU and ALSC cells had better affinity to the substrate. Acclimation of the immobilized cells led to a remarkable enhancement in v(H2) with a 25-fold increase for CA/AC and ca. 10- to 15-fold increases for PU and ALSC cells. However, the ALSC cells were found to have better durability than PU and CA/AC cells as they allowed stable hydrogen production for over 24 repeated runs.