Hydrogen production from starch by co-culture of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Rhodobacter sphaeroides in one step hybrid dark- and photofermentation in repeated fed-batch reactor.

Hydrogen production from starch by a co-culture hybrid dark and photofermentation under repeated fed-batch conditions at different organic loading rates (OLR) was studied. Effective cooperation between bacteria in co-culture during initial days was observed at controlled pH 7.0. However, at pH above 6.5 dark fermentation phase was redirected from H2 formation towards production of formic acid, lactic acid and ethanol (which are not coupled with hydrogen production) with simultaneous lower starch removal efficiency. This resulted in decrease in the hydrogen production rate. The highest H2 production in co-culture process (3.23LH2/Lmedium - after 11days) was achieved at OLR of 1.5gstarch/L/day, and it was twofold higher than for dark fermentation process (1.59LH2/Lmedium). The highest H2 yield in the co-culture (2.62molH2/molhexose) was obtained at the OLR of 0.375gstarch/L/day. Different pH requirements of bacteria were proven to be a key limitation in co-culture system.

An unexpected negative influence of light intensity on hydrogen production by dark fermentative bacteria Clostridium beijerinckii.

The role of light intensity on biohydrogen production from glucose by Clostridium beijerinckii, Clostridium acetobutylicum, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides was studied to evaluate the performance and possible application in co-culture fermentation system. The applied source of light had spectrum similar to the solar radiation. The influence of light intensity on hydrogen production in dark process by C. acetobutylicum was negligible. In contrast, dark fermentation by C. beijerinckii bacteria showed a significant decrease (83%) in produced hydrogen at light intensity of 540W/m(2). Here, the redirection of metabolism from acetic and butyric acid formation towards lactic acid was observed. This not yet reported effect was probably caused by irradiation of these bacteria by light within UVA range, which is an important component of the solar radiation. The excessive illumination with light of intensity higher than 200W/m(2) resulted in decrease in hydrogen production with photofermentative bacteria as well.

The role of pH control on biohydrogen production by single stage hybrid dark- and photo-fermentation.

The role of pH control on biohydrogen production by co-culture of dark-fermentative Clostridium acetobutylicum and photofermentative Rhodobacter sphaeroides was studied. Single stage dark fermentation, photofermentation and hybrid co-culture systems were studied at different values of controlled and uncontrolled pH. Increasing pH during dark fermentation resulted in lower hydrogen production rate (HPR) and longer lag time for both controlled and uncontrolled conditions. However, it only slightly affected cumulative H2 volume. Results have shown that pH control at pH 7.5 increased photofermentative hydrogen production from 0.966 to 2.502 L H2/L(medium) when compared to uncontrolled process. Fixed pH value has proven to be an important control strategy also for the hybrid process and resulted in obtaining balanced co-culture of dark and photofermentative bacteria. Control of pH at 7.0 was found optimum for bacteria cooperation in the co-culture what resulted in obtaining 2.533 L H2/L(medium) and H2 yield of 6.22 mol H2/mol glucose.