Hydrogen fermentation properties of undiluted cow dung

Anaerobic treatment of undiluted cow dung (15% total solids), so-called dry fermentation, produced hydrogen (743 ml-H2/kg-cow dung) at an optimum temperature of 60°C, with butyrate and acetate formation. The hydrogen production was inhibited by the addition of NH4+ in a dose-dependent manner. A bacterium with similarity to Clostridium cellulosi was detected in the fermented dung by a 16S rDNA analysis.