Biohydrogen Production from Food Waste: Influence of the Inoculum-To-Substrate Ratio

Giovanna Cappai, Giorgia De Gioannis, Aldo Muntoni, Daniela Spiga, Maria Rosaria Boni, Alessandra Polettini, Raffaella Pomi and Andreina Rossi
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Giovanna Cappai: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, P.za D’Armi 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Giorgia De Gioannis: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, P.za D’Armi 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Aldo Muntoni: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, P.za D’Armi 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Daniela Spiga: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, P.za D’Armi 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Maria Rosaria Boni: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
Alessandra Polettini: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
Raffaella Pomi: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
Andreina Rossi: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: In this study, the influence of the inoculum-to-substrate ratio (ISR) on dark fermentative hydrogen production from food waste (FW) was evaluated. ISR values ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 g VS inoculum /g VS substrate were investigated by performing batch tests at T = 39 °C and pH = 6.5, the latter being the optimal value identified based on a previous study. The ISR was found to affect the fermentation process, clearly showing that an adequate ISR is essential in order to optimise the process kinetics and the H 2 yield. An ISR of 0.14 proved to optimum, leading to a maximum H 2 yield of 88.8 L H 2 /kg VS FW and a maximum production rate of 10.8 L H 2 /kg VS FW ?h. The analysis of the fermentation products indicated that the observed highest H 2 production mostly derived from the typical acetate/butyrate-type fermentation.

Keywords: dark fermentation; food waste; biohydrogen; inoculum-to-substrate ratio (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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