Surfactant‐supplemented mixed bacterial cultures to produce hydrogen from paperboard mill wastewater

Abstract

Paperboard mill wastewater (PMW) mainly comprises complex compounds such as polysaccharides and lignin that are recalcitrant to microbial and enzymatic action. Surfactants supplementation was found to improve the enzymatic hydrolysis and reduce lignin content during anaerobic digestion process. However, much less attention has been given for the effectiveness of surfactants addition on hydrogen production from PMW under hyperthermophilic conditions. In this study, the mixed bacterial culture was supplemented with surfactants, namely PEG 6000 and Tween 80 (T80), to enhance the biodegradation process and hydrogen yield (HY). The results showed that increasing the concentration of T80 from 0.25 to 1.75% v/v significantly (p < 0.001) increased HY from 1.7 ± 0.02 to 2.6 ± 0.01 mmol/gCODinitial (where COD is chemical oxygen demand), respectively. However, with further increase in the concentration of T80 up to 2.5%, the HY dropped to 2 ± 0.04 mmol/gCODinitial. This was mainly due to a higher propionate (HPr) production. Similar trends were observed for PEG, where the maximum HY of 2.8 ± 0.02 mmol/gCODinitial was achieved at a concentration of 0.75 mg/L, which deteriorated at higher and lower concentrations of PEG. Fermentative hydrogen of 700 m3/day of PMW could support about 16.4% of total primary energy consumption of the factory.

Enhancement of biological hydrogen production from organic wastes with the application of nanomaterials

“…In addition to that there are no significant effects found in the utilization and formation of organic acids in hydrogen production supplemented with surfactants. Paperboard mill wastewater was utilized as the source for hydrogen production with the utilization of surfactants like PEG 6000 and Tween 80 103,112 …”

“…Trichoderma asperellum laccase was immobilized on Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 ‐Chitosan nanoparticles for delignification of lignocellulosic biomass and was utilized for the biohydrogen production with sweet sorghum stove as substrate. The immobilized laccase was found to have high lignin degradation potential than the free enzyme, which could be efficiently reused up to eight cycles 112 . Boshagh et al 113 immobilized E aerogens on multi‐walled carbon nanotube having carboxyl acid groups (MWCNT‐COOH) for the efficient hydrogen production and revealed that the immobilized E aerogens on MWCNT‐COOH resulted in higher biohydrogen yield (2.2 mol/mol glucose) when compared with free E aerogens .…”

“…Paperboard mill wastewater was utilized as the source for hydrogen production with the utilization of surfactants like PEG 6000 and Tween 80. 103,112…”

“…The immobilized laccase was found to have high lignin degradation potential than the free enzyme, which could be efficiently reused up to eight cycles. 112 Boshagh et al 113 immobilized E aerogens on multi-walled carbon nanotube having carboxyl acid groups (MWCNT-COOH) for the efficient hydrogen production and revealed that the immobilized E aerogens on MWCNT-COOH resulted in higher biohydrogen yield (2.2 mol/mol glucose) when compared with free E aerogens.…”

Potential of using non-inoculated self-aerated immobilized biomass reactor for post-treatment of upflow anaerobic staged reactor treating high strength industrial wastewater

“…Egypt produces approximately 500 million cubic meters per year of industrial wastewater of which 50% is partially treated and the major portion is dumped into the sewerage network without treatment causing serious environmental problems . The cake processing industry generates a heavily polluted wastewater which is very rich in coarse suspended solids, lipids, COD, BOD 5 and nitrogen components .…”