Production and storage of biohydrogen during sequential batch fermentation of Spirogyra hydrolyzate by Clostridium butyricum

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe biological hydrogen production from Spirogyra sp. biomass was studied in a SBR (sequential batch reactor) equipped with a biogas collecting and storage system. Two acid hydrolysis pre-treatments (1N and 2N H 2 SO 4 ) were applied to the Spirogyra biomass and the subsequent fermentation by Clostridium butyricum DSM 10702 was compared. The 1N and 2N hydrolyzates contained 37.2 and 40.8 g/L of total sugars, respectively, and small amounts of furfural and HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural). These compounds did not inhibit the hydrogen production from crude Spirogyra hydrolyzates. The fermentation was scaled up to a batch operated bioreactor coupled with a collecting system that enabled the subsequent characterization and storage of the biogas produced. The cumulative hydrogen production was similar for both 1N and 2N hydrolyzate, but the hydrogen production rates were 438 and 288 mL/L.h, respectively, suggesting that the 1N hydrolyzate was more suitable for sequential batch fermentation. The SBR with 1N hydrolyzate was operated continuously for 13.5 h in three consecutive batches and the overall hydrogen production rate and yield reached 324 mL/L.h and 2.59 mol/mol, respectively. This corresponds to a potential daily production of 10.4 L H 2 /L Spirogyra hydrolyzate, demonstrating the excellent capability of C. butyricum to produce hydrogen from microalgal biomass.

Biogenic H2 production from mixed microalgae biomass: impact of pH control and methanogenic inhibitor (BESA) addition

“…The carbohydrate values and the removal rates obtained were approximately similar to those reported by Ortigueira et al (2015) who investigated hydrogen fermentation of Spirogyra hydrolyzate by Clostridium buytricum. It is worth noting that the intermediate products such as VFAs could be converted to various biopolymers (poly hydroxy butyrate) or undergo anaerobic digestion for the production of additional energy source, i.e., methane.…”

Development of an Energy Biorefinery Model for Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Shells

“…This microorganism is a recognized H2 producer from a diversity of substrates, such as LB and microalgal biomass [47,48]. The fermentation results are summarized in Table 2.…”

“…Total sugar concentration in the fermentation supernatants was determined by the phenol-sulfuric acid method using glucose as the reference monosaccharide [63]. The organic acids produced were characterized by HPLC analysis [48].…”

“…The strain was pre-cultured in Reinforced Clostridial Medium (RCM, Difco™, Le Pont de Claix, France) at 37 • C for 16 h and used for inoculating (at 1% (v/v)) the anoxic fermentation medium, composed by trypticase soy broth without dextrose, yeast nitrogen base, oligoelements, minerals, redox indicator and cysteine hydrochloride [48]. The detoxified CS hydrolyzate was used as carbon and energy source in the fermentation medium.…”

“…The detoxified CS hydrolyzate was used as carbon and energy source in the fermentation medium. The incubation was conducted at 37 • C, 150 rpm, for 72 h [48].…”