Biohydrogen production from alkaline wastewater: The stoichiometric reactions, modeling, and electron equivalent

• Published in: MethodsX 2019-01, Vol.6, p.1496-1505
• Main Authors: Bina, Bijan, Amin, Mohammad Mehdi, Pourzamani, Hamidreza, Fatehizadeh, Ali, Ghasemian, Mohammad, Mahdavi, Mokhtar, Taheri, Ensiyeh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkalinity; Biohydrogen; Biohydrogen production from wastewater; Electron equivalent balances; Environmental Science; Gamperts model; Stoichiometric reaction
• ISSN: 2215-0161; 2215-0161
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2019.06.013

[Display omitted] •The average of hydrogen production at studied alkalinity 670, 1325, 2232, and 2678 mg/L as CaCO3, were 57.91, 220.02, 204.65, and 92.51 mL/d.•As the ALK/COD ratio was 0.3, the highest hydrogen yield (0.6 mmol H2/g CODin) was achieved.•The required ALK/COD ratio for methanogenic and hydrogenogenic processes was about alike.•The highest H2 fraction was coinciding with high eˉeq of acetate.•When the initial alkalinity was 1325 and 670 mg/L, the highest and lowest H2 eˉeq was occurred, respectively. Hydrogen gas (H2) is the cleanest energy carrier with 142 kJ/g energy content and without toxic byproducts release during combustion. There is interest to H2 production by biological process from sustainable resources including municipal and industrial wastewater and also solid waste. Here, we describe the biohydrogen production that involves first survey the effect of alkalinity on biohydrogen production based on stoichiometric reaction, followed by the electron equivalent balances determination and examination of prediction capability of Gamperts model for biohydrogen production. •The method uses a dark fermentation biological process for H2 production from wastewater.•As the influent alkalinity increased, the hydrogen production increased and then promptly descended.•The predicted gas volume, based on Gamperts model confirmed good agreement with experimental value.