Co-digestion of corn (nejayote) and brewery wastewater at different ratios and pH conditions for biohydrogen production

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 46; no. 54; pp. 27422 - 27430
• Main Authors: Del Angel-Acosta, Yair A., Alvarez, Luis H., Garcia-Reyes, Refugio B., Carrillo-Reyes, Julián, Garcia-Gonzalez, Alcione, Meza-Escalante, Edna R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 05-08-2021
• Subjects: Biohydrogen; Dark fermentation; Gompertz model; Heat-treated anaerobic sludge; Renewable energy; Gompertz model; Heat-treated anaerobic sludge; Biohydrogen; Renewable energy; Dark fermentation
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.208

The capacity of a heat-treated sludge (HTS) to produce hydrogen from the mono- and co-digestion of corn (NW, pH 13.1) and brewery (BW, pH 3.8) wastewater was evaluated. The co-digestion of NW and BW was conducted with ratios (NW/BW) from 40/60 to 80/20 (vol/vol) at pH 6 and under different initial pH values (from 5.8 to 12.3) according to the substrates mixtures. With the initial pH adjusted to 6, the highest production (302 mL) occurred for the mono-digestion of NW, but hydrogen was produced in all incubations. For incubations under variable pH values, the highest hydrogen production was obtained with the ratio 60/40 (270 mL), followed by the ratio 65/35 (260 mL) with pH values of 10.8 and 10.4, respectively. The initial pH influenced the kinetic parameters, especially on maximum production and lag phase. For the ratio 60/40, with an alkaline pH value (10.4), the lag phase was delayed up to 122 h, but the highest volume of hydrogen was obtained with this condition. The Clostridium genus, present in all samples, could be associated as the main responsible for hydrogen production. Besides, the presence of Burkholderia genus, previously related to hydrogen production, was identified as the main involved in the culture at pH 10.8.
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•Corn (nejayote) and brewery wastewater mixtures provides suitable pH conditions for biohydrogen production.•Maximum hydrogen production was achieved with the ratio 60/40 at pH 10.4.•Biohydrogen production occurred in all NW/BW mixtures at initial pH 6.•Clostridium and Burkholderia genus are the main hydrogen producers identified in the cultures.