Biohydrogen production by dark / light fermentation of hydrolysed wheat starch

Biological hydrogen gas production from acid hydrolyzed wheat starch (AHWS) solution was investigated using batch dark and continuous dark, photo and combined fermentation systems. Hydrogen production yield and specific hydrogen production rate were considered as the criteria for performance comparison.In batch dark fermentation experiments, initial waste wheat and biomass concentrations on hydrogen gas production rate and yield were investigated using heat pre-treated anaerobic sludge (ANS) and acid hydrolyzed wheat starch. Continuous experiments of dark fermentation were performed to investigate the effects of hydraulic residence time (HRT) on hydrogen gas production rate and yield.Hydrogen gas production by light fermentation using volatile fatty acid (VFA) containing batch dark fermentation effluent (DFE) was investigated. The effects of hydraulic residence time (HRT) on hydrogen gas production rate and yield were investigated using pure culture of Rhodobacter sphaeroides NRLL-1727.In combined dark and photo fermentations of AHWS, the effects of hydraulic residence time (HRT) on hydrogen gas production rate and yield were investigated by using heat pre-treated anaerobic sludge (ANS) and pure culture of Rhodobacter sphaeroides NRLL-1727. Continuous experiments were performed by periodic feeding and effluent removal.