Influence of substrate concentration and temperature on hydrogen production from vinasse cane sugar

Author(s)

Carolina Zampol Lazaro

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
• Defense date: 2012-06-29

Examining board members

Maria Bernadete Amancio Varesche Silva; Regina Vasconcellos Antonio; Viridiana Santana Ferreira Leitão; Silvana de Queiroz Silva; Marcelo Zaiat

• Advisor: Maria Bernadete Amancio Varesche Silva

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the production of hydrogen from different concentrations of sugar cane vinasse at 37°C and 55°C. Moreover, the mesophilic and thermophilic microbial consortia used in the hydrogen production tests were characterized by cloning and sequencing techniques to know its microbial diversity. Hydrogen production tests were carried out after the microbial enrichment from a UASB granular sludge at a temperature of 37°C and 55°C using vinasse as sole carbon source. All assays were performed in triplicate of batch reactors with about 2, 5, 7 and 12 g COD/L of vinasse. During the assays \'H IND.2\', solvents and organic acids production as well as the soluble carbohydrates were measured. Potentials of hydrogen production increased with the increasing concentration of substrate in the mesophilic tests (4.3 to 28.4 mmol \'H IND.2\'). However, for the thermophilic tests, the hydrogen production potentials were very similar among them, ranging from 5 to 6.7 mmol \'H IND.2\'. For the mesophilic tests, the hydrogen yields did not change with increasing the vinasse concentration for the (values around 10 mmol \'H IND.2\'/g carbohydrates), however, for the thermophilic tests the hydrogen yields decreased with the increase of vinasse concentration, the yield ranged from 21.7 (2 g COD/L) to 3.2 mmol \'H IND.2\'/g carbohydrate (12 g COD/L). The efficiency of substrate degradation was higher for mesophilic tests, and its minor value was 79%. For the thermophilic tests, the substrate consumption was lower, and the values ranged from 36 to 61%. The metabolites generated were acetic and butyric acids for tests at 37°C and butyric acids for the tests at 55°C. The mesophilic clones were similar to the family Clostridiaceae (75%) and Ruminococcaceae (22%). In contrast, the thermophilic consortium presented 96% of clones related to Thermoanaerobacterium. Isolated bacterial strains (CA and C1) showed hydrogen yields of 10 and 1.1 mmol \'H IND.2\'/g glucose, respectively. CA and C1 were similar to Clostridium acetobutylicum (100%) and Clostridium carboxidivorans (100%). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/00135-8 - Evaluation of the production of hydrogen and characterization of microbial anaerobic batch reactors fed with vinasse
• Grantee: Carolina Zampol Lazaro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate