Biohydrogen production from kitchen organic waste via effective pre-treatment process of dark fermentation

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the effective pre-treatment process for biohydrogen production from kitchen organic waste in dark fermentation. The complexity of the fermentation process through the competing of the metabolic living bacteria requires a dynamical control of the process through the pre-treatment of the substrate’s mixtures. In this research the pre-treatment process parameters and inoculum condition that affect biohydrogen production via dark fermentation process were investigated. The parameter that affects biohydrogen production via the dark fermentation process have also been analysed. The performance of two inoculums from food waste and cow manure were tested with three different pre-treatment processes: thermal, acid and alkaline. Based on the results, the cow manure inoculum was the best-performing inoculum, producing more H2 compared to food waste inoculum. Furthermore, the substrate and inoculum with thermal shock pre-treatment approaches has increased the biohydrogen generation compared to acid and alkaline pre-treatment.