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Summary: Kinetic‐modeling studies are a key step to attain economically practical technology in terms of efficient scheme and bioreactor scale‐up to describe the substrate utilization, biomass growth, and product formation in the biohydrogen production process. Kinetic‐modeling study of biohydrogen production from molasses using mixed culture was investigated in an anaerobic activated sludge‐rotating biological contactor. Single‐substrate with endogenous metabolism and Luedeking–Piret model was used to describe the kinetic parameters at different dilution rate (0.032‐0.167 h−1) with influent concentration of 6, 15, and 24 g COD/L. The maximum experimentally estimated value of μmax, kS, and Yx/s was found to be 0.053 h−1, 9.98 g/L, and 0.11 g/g in dilution 0.167 h−1, respectively. It can be concluded that increase in dilution rate is a suitable for microbial activities in the biological hydrogen production process. Accordingly, maximum specific growth rate and hydrogen production rate will be increased. Contrariwise, decrease in dilution rate is associated with lower biomass concentration and higher endogenous metabolism. Therefore, dilution rate is an important parameter in production of biohydrogen in this bioreactor and should be kept in an appropriate range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a colloidal suspension with 2–4% suspended solids. About 50% of the suspended solids are cellulosic compounds, which are not degraded in the typical biological treatment systems. Chemical (polymer-induced coagulation) and physical (settling) pretreatment methods were examined to remove the suspended solids in this study. A novel physicochemical treatment with high water recovery and sludge compressibility including three cationic polyacrylamides (C-PAM; as coagulant) and three anionic polyacrylamides (A-PAM; as flocculant) with different molecular weights and charge densities was used. The coagulants used were biodegradable. The combination of a C-PAM (Chemfloc1515C) with medium molecular weight and charge density and an A-PAM (Chemfloc 430A) with high molecular weight and charge density at doses of 300 and 50 mg/dm3showed the best total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (96.4 and 70.9%, respectively). The optimal condition was found at pH 5, rapid mixing at 150 rpm for 1 min, and slow mixing at 40 rpm for 30 s. As a conclusion, the physiochemical pretreatment using biodegradable coagulants was a promising alternative to effectively separate TSS (96.4%) with high water recovery (76%). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The major problem associated with UASB reactors for biotransformation of organic matter to hydrogen is the long start-up period (2-4 months) required for the growth of the microbial granules. In this study, an integration of granular sludge system and a fixed film reactor in a single reactor was applied to overcome this problem. An up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket-fixed film (UASB-FF) reactor was initially inoculated with heat pretreated seed sludge as inoculum and operated as closed-loop fed-batch for five days (HRT = 24 h; 38 °C; pH 5.5). The reactor was continuously fed with fresh pre-settled POME in order to shorten the start-up period. The organic loading was gradually increased from 4.7 to 51.8 g/L d. Granular sludge rapidly developed within 22 days. Specific hydrogen production rate was 0.514 L H2/gVSS d at the end of the start-up period. Speedy development of bio-granules was attributed to biomass recirculation and the establishment of a fixed film at the upper section of the UASB-FF reactor that resulted in improved interactions among the bacterial consortium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Effects of three selected variables viz. biomass concentration, initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and initial bicarbonate alkalinity (BA) on biological hydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent (POME) using the granulated sludge in batch culture were investigated. The experimental results were analyzed and modeled using a central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). In order to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the biohydrogen production process, indicative parameters namely hydrogen yield (YH), specific hydrogen production rate (SHPR), and COD removal efficiency were studied as the process responses. Maximum hydrogen yield (124.5 mmol H2/g CODremoved) and specific hydrogen production rate (55.42 mmol H2/g VSS.d) were achieved at CODin 3000 and 6500 mg/l, MLVSS 4000 and 2000 mg/l, and initial BA 1100 mg CaCO3/l, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Effects of different pretreatment methods on sludge inocula were evaluated with respect to hydrogen (H2) production enhancement using palm oil mill effluent (POME) in a batch system. The experimental results showed that the pretreatment methods (chemical, acid, heat-shock, freezing and thawing, and base) at 35 °C and initial pH 5.5 had a positive influence on H2 production yield and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency during the fermentative H2 production as compared to the control experiments (without pretreatment). Heat-shock pretreatment method was shown to be a simple and useful method for enhancing both H2 producing and COD removal processes from POME with highest H2 yield and COD removal efficiency at 0.41 mmol H2/g COD and 86%, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]