Biohydrogen production from Tequila vinasses in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor: Effect of initial substrate concentration, temperature and hydraulic retention time

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2010-12, Vol.101 (23), p.9071-9077
• Main Authors: Buitrón, Germán, Carvajal, Carolina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobiosis - drug effects; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - metabolism; Beverages - analysis; Beverages - microbiology; Biofuel production; Biofuels - analysis; Biofuels - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; Biotechnology - methods; Carbon - analysis; Energy; Fatty Acids, Volatile - analysis; Feasibility; Fermentation - drug effects; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose - pharmacology; Hydraulic retention time; Hydrogen; Hydrogen - metabolism; Hydrogen production; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Kinetics; Methane; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Models, Chemical; Reactors; Sequencing; Sequencing batch reactor; Solubility - drug effects; Solvents - chemistry; Temperature; Tequila; Time Factors; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Various methods and equipments; Vinasses; Waste Products - analysis; Wastes
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.127

The effect of the temperature (25 and 35 °C), the hydraulic retention time, HRT, (12 and 24 h) and initial substrate concentration on hydrogen production from Tequila vinasse was studied using a sequencing batch reactor. When 25 °C and 12-h HRT were applied, only insignificant biogas quantities were produced; however, using 24 h of HRT and temperatures of 25 and 35 °C, biogas containing hydrogen was produced. A maximum volumetric hydrogen production rate of 50.5 mL H 2 L −1 h −1 (48 mmol H 2 L reactor - 1 d −1) and an average hydrogen content in the biogas of 29.2 ± 8.8% were obtained when the reactor was fed with 3 g COD L −1, at 35 °C and 12-h HRT. Methane formation was observed when the longer HRT was applied. Results demonstrated the feasibility to produce hydrogen from this waste without a previous pre-treatment.