Biohydrogen production: An outlook of fermentative processes and integration strategies

Abstract

The emanations upon combustion of petroleum fuels cause grave pessimistic impact on surrounding ambiance and global climate change. Therefore, the contemporary stance of scientific fraternity is to generate energy and mercantile products through biological methods with waste as a resource. Biohydrogen production from wastewater seems to be a promising green option for sustainable renewable energy. The process is feasible from practical point of view and can be operated under ambient conditions. It has been attracting attention due to its applicability to different types of wastewaters, and the production costs of biohydrogen can compete economically with other traditional methods. However, the crucial challenges like enhancing rate and yield for sustainable biohydrogen production still persist. During fermentation process, the undissociated volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and alcohols accumulate in the system leading to inhibition and redundancy in substrate degradation. Employing integration strategies with other bioprocesses like photo-fermentation or bio-electrochemical systems is the sanguine option to make the process frugally possible.