Optimum Conditions for Enhanced Biohydrogen Production from a Mixture of Food Waste and Sewage Sludge with Alkali Pretreatment

Joo-Youn Nam ()
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Joo-Youn Nam: Marine Energy Convergence and Integration Research Team, Jeju Global Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 200 Haemajihaean-ro, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si 63357, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Given the increasing demand for hydrogen, owing to its environmentally friendly nature, it is important to explore efficient methods for hydrogen production. This study investigates dark-fermentative hydrogen production by the co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge. Both wastes were subjected to alkali pretreatment (at pH 13) to enhance biodegradability. Batch tests were conducted to enhance hydrogen production from food waste and sewage sludge under various volatile solid (VS) concentrations of 1.5–5% and food waste to sewage sludge mixing ratios of 0:100–100:0. We found that alkali pretreatment was effective in increasing hydrogen yields. The maximum specific hydrogen production rate of 163.8 mL H 2 /g volatile suspended solid/h was obtained at a VS concentration of 5.0% and food waste composition of 62.5%. Additionally, VS concentration of 2.8% and food waste composition of 100% yielded a maximum hydrogen production potential of 152.1 mL H 2 /g VS. Our findings indicate that food waste and sewage sludge with alkali pretreatment are potential substrates to produce biohydrogen.

Keywords: alkali treatment; biohydrogen; food waste; sewage sludge; dark fermentation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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