Feasibility of biohydrogen production from Gelidium amansii

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 36; no. 21; pp. 13997 - 14003
• Main Authors: Park, Jeong-Hoon, Yoon, Jeong-Jun, Park, Hee-Deung, Kim, Yong Jin, Lim, Dong Jung, Kim, Sang-Hyoun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2011
• Subjects: Dark fermentation; Galactose; Gelidium amansii; Pretreatment; Red algae; Pretreatment; Galactose; Dark fermentation; Red algae
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.04.003

The feasibility of hydrogen production from red algae was investigated. Galactose, the main sugar monomer of red algae, was readily converted to hydrogen by dark fermentation. The maximum hydrogen production rate and yield of galactose were 2.46 L H
2/g VSS/d and 2.03 mol H
2/mol galactose
added, respectively, which were higher than those for glucose (0.914 L H
2/g VSS/d and 1.48 mol H
2/mol galactose
added). The distribution of soluble byproducts showed that H
2 production was the main pathway of galactose uptake. 5-HMF, the main byproduct of acid hydrolysis of red algae causes noncompetitive inhibition of H
2 fermentation. 1.37 g/L of 5-HMF decreased hydrogen production rate by 50% compared to the control. When red algae was hydrolyzed at 150 °C for 15 min and detoxified by activated carbon, 53.5 mL of H
2 was produced from 1 g of dry algae with a hydrogen production rate of 0.518 L H
2/g VSS/d. Red algae, cultivable on vast tracts of sea by sunlight without any nitrogen-based fertilizer, could be a suitable substrate for biohydrogen production.
► Red algae can be a suitable substrate for dark hydrogen fermentation. ► Galactose, the main monomer of red algae, is readily utilized for hydrogen production. ► The hydrogen production rate and yield of galactose are higher than those of glucose. ► When hydrolyzed and detoxified, 1 g of dry algae would be converted to 53.5 mL of hydrogen.