Improvement of biohydrogen production under increased the reactor size by C. acetobutylicum NCIMB 13357

Abstract

One of the main factors influenced the bacterial productivity and total yield of hydrogen is the partial pressure of produced gas. A novel solution to enhance the bacterial productivity was through reduction of gas pressure. Approach: Increasing the reactor size showed to enhance the bacterial production of hydrogen. Results: The technique of increasing reactor size resulted to enhance the hydrogen yield (YP/S) from 269 mL g-1 glucose utilized to maximum yield of 448 mL g-1 glucose utilized by using 125 mL and 2 L reactor size respectively. The hydrogen productivity was also enhanced from 71 mL-1 h-1 to maximum of 91 mL L -1 h-1 was obtained by using 125 mL and 1 L reactor size respectively. Biomass concentration was enhanced from 1.03 g L-1 to maximum of 1.68 g L-1 by using 125 mL and 2 L reactor size were used respectively, hydrogen yield per biomass (YP/X) of 267 mL g -1 L-1, biomass per substrate utilized (YX/S) of 0.336 and produced hydrogen in gram per gram of glucose utilized (Y H2/s) of 0.04 when 2 L reactor size was employed. Conclusion: By using bigger reactor size, the effect of gaseous products in fermentation medium was reduced and enhanced both bacterial productivity and biomass concentration. © 2009 Science Publications.