Abstract

The aim of this study was to promote biohydrogen production in an thermophilic anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) at 55 °C using a mixture of sugar cane stillage and glucose at approximately 5000–5300 mg COD L−1. During a reduction in the hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 h, H2 yields of 5.73 mmol g CODadded−1 were achieved (at HRT of 4 h, with organic loading rate of 52.7 kg COD m−3 d−1). The maximum volumetric H2 production of 0.78 L H2 h−1 L−1 was achieved using stillage as carbon source. In all operational phases, the H2 average content in the biogas was between 31.4 and 52.0%. Butyric fermentation was the predominant metabolic pathway. The microbial community in accordance with the DGGE bands profile was found similarity coefficient between 91 and 95% without significant changes in bacterial populations after co-substrate removal. Bacteria like Thermoanaerobacterium sp. and Clostridium sp. were identified.

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