Enhancement effect of hematite nanoparticles on fermentative hydrogen production

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2011-09, Vol.102 (17), p.7903-7909
• Main Authors: Han, Hongliang, Cui, Maojin, Wei, Liling, Yang, Haijun, Shen, Jianquan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobic fermentation; Bacteria; Bacteria - ultrastructure; Biofuel production; Biohydrogen production; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Energy; Fermentation; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hematite; Hematite nanoparticles; hydrogen; Hydrogen - chemistry; Hydrogen production; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nanoparticles; Optimization; Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP); Slow release; Sucrose; Transmission electron microscopy; X-Ray Diffraction
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.05.089

► This is the first report on hematite nanoparticles application in dark fermentative hydrogen production. ► Addition of hematite nanoparticles can improve hydrogen yield. ► The hematite nanoparticles can affect the shape of bacteria which became longer and thinner. ► The slow release of hematite nanoparticles was discovered. The effects of hematite nanoparticles concentration (0–1600mg/L) and initial pH (4.0–10.0) on hydrogen production were investigated in batch assays using sucrose-fed anaerobic mixed bacteria at 35°C. The optimum hematite nanoparticles concentration with an initial pH 8.48 was 200mg/L, with the maximum hydrogen yield of 3.21mol H2/mol sucrose which was 32.64% higher than the blank test. At 200mg/L hematite nanoparticles concentration, further initial pH optimization experiments indicated that at pH 6.0 the maximum hydrogen yield reached to 3.57mol H2/mol sucrose and hydrogen content was 66.1%. The slow release of hematite nanoparticles had been recorded by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, TEM analysis indicated that the hematite nanoparticles can affect the shape of bacteria, namely, its length increased from ca. 2.0–3.6μm to ca. 2.6–5.6μm, and width became narrower.