The Effect of Autotrophic Cultivation of Platymonas subcordiformis in Waters from the Natural Aquatic Reservoir on Hydrogen Yield

Magda Dudek,Marcin Dębowski,Joanna Kazimierowicz,Marcin Zieliński,Anna Nowicka

doi:10.3390/resources11030031

Magda Dudek, Marcin Dębowski + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11030031

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Abstract

Biological processes run by microalgae are prospective but still little known methods of hydrogen production. A prerequisite for their increased advancement is the development of economically viable and efficient technologies. The study presented in this manuscript focused on determining the efficiency of biohydrogen production by P. subcordiformis using a culture medium prepared based on natural waters. The rate of P. subcordiformis biomass growth reached 317.6 ± 42.3 mgODM/dm3·d and ensured a biomass concentration of 3493 ± 465 mgODM/dm3. The percentage concentration of hydrogen in the biogas reached 63.2 ± 1.4%, and its production rate ranged from 0.53 ± 0.05 cm3/h to 0.70 ± 0.01 cm3/h.

Highlights

Experiments conducted in STAGE 1 (ST1) aimed to assess the efficiency of P. subcordiformis microalgae biomass production This stage included two series, differing in the culture medium applied
Deionized water was used in SERIES 1 (SE1), whereas water from the Gdansk Bay was used in SERIES 2 (SE2)
In STSE1, the final biomass concentration reached 3203 ± 35 mgODM/dm3, whereas chlorophyll a content in the biomass was at 3686 ± 320 μg/dm3 (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

The negative impact of the economy on the natural environment determines the need to use low-emission production technologies, including the implementation of clean and effective solutions for energy production [1,2]. Hydrogen represents one of the energy carriers meeting the criteria of an environmentally friendly fuel [3]. Today, it is used in a narrow and marginal range, mainly in the refining industry, space technologies and fuel cells [4,5]. Conventional hydrogen production technologies include mainly thermochemical methods, like combustion, gasification, thermochemical liquefaction and pyrolysis, as well as methods based on water electrolysis [7]. These solutions entail high investment costs, are energy-consuming and cause environmental pollution [8,9]. It is estimated that currently nearly 95% of the hydrogen used derives from the conversion of fossil fuels [10]

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