BioChem - DOS

Enhanced hydrogen production in a UASB reactor by retaining microbial consortium onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs)

International journal of hydrogen energy

Liu, Z.; Lv, F.; Zheng, H.; Zhang, C.; Wei, F.; Xing, X.H.

Biohydrogen and subsequent biomethane generation from biomass is a promising strategy for renewable energy supply, because this combination can lead to higher energy recovery efficiency and faster fermentation than single methane fermentation. Microbial consortium control by retaining hydrogen-producers through the addition of microbial carriers is an alternative to constructing hydrogen-producing reactors. Here we report the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as microbial carriers to enhance microbial retention and the production of biohydrogen. Laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors with CNTs at 100 mg/L achieved a maximal hydrogen production rate of 5.55 L/L/d and a maximal hydrogen yield of 2.45 mol/mol glucose. Compared to frequently used activated carbon (AC) particles, CNTs resulted in quicker startup and better performance of hydrogen fermentation in UASB reactors. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and pyrosequencing results revealed that the reactor with CNTs led to a high proportion of hydrogen-producing bacteria among the microbial consortium, which endowed the microbes with strong flocculation capacity and hydrogen productivity.

2012

Pergamon Press ; Elsevier Science Ltd

0360-3199

1879-3487

37

14

pp.10619-10626

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.04.057

http://click.ndsl.kr/servlet/OpenAPIDetailView?keyValue=05787966&target=NART&cn=NART63351548

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs); Biohydrogen; Microbial carriers; Dark fermentation; Microbial consortium