초록
Biological fermentative production of hydrogen from the ozonated palm oil mill effluent (POME) was conducted in batch reactors using an anaerobic sludge as a microbial seed. Fermentation was setup at pH 4.0-6.0, varying POME concentration range of 5,000-37,000mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> under mesophilic condition (37<SUP>o</SUP>C). The results showed that pH 6.0 is an optimum pH and the maximum hydrogen yield of 28.3mL g<SUP>-1</SUP> COD was obtained. Comparative results of hydrogen production from the raw POME versus the ozonated POME indicated that the ozone pretreatment of POME (mg COD: mg ozone = 102.8) elevated the biodegradability of the POME constituents and significantly enhanced yield and rate of the hydrogen production. Hydrogen production using ozonated POME concentration of 30,000mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> displayed the maximum yield of 182.3mL g<SUP>-1</SUP> COD, which is 49% higher than that from raw POME. Meanwhile the maximum production rate of 43.1mL h<SUP>-1</SUP> was observed at COD concentration of 25,000mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> ozonated POME. Maximum COD removal was 44% at COD concentration of 15,000mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> ozonated POME. This work demonstrated ozonation of POME significant improved performance of hydrogen production.