Effect of substrate concentration on fermentative hydrogen production from sweet sorghum extract

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of substrate concentration on the fermentative hydrogen production from sweet sorghum extract, in a continuous stirred tank bioreactor. The reactor was operated at a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 12 h and carbohydrate concentrations ranging from 9.89 to 20.99 g/L, in glucose equivalents. The maximum hydrogen production rate and yield were obtained at the concentration of 17.50 g carbohydrates/L and were 2.93 ± 0.09 L H2/L reactor/d and 0.74 ± 0.02 mol H2/mol glucose consumed, corresponding to 8.81 ± 0.02 L H2/kg sweet sorghum, respectively. The main metabolic product at all steady states was butyric acid, while ethanol production was high at high substrate concentrations. The experiments showed that hydrogen productivity depends significantly on the initial carbohydrate concentration, which also influences the distribution of the metabolic products.

► Investigation of the effect of substrate concentration on fermentative hydrogen production at a continuous system. ► Determination of the metabolic products distribution, under different substrate concentrations. ► Alternative start-up procedure, without heat treatment; Use of mixed microbial cultures contained in sorghum extract. ► Optimum carbohydrates concentration within the range tested for hydrogen production was close to 17,500 ± 1000 mg/L.