Biohydrogen production from diary processing wastewater by anaerobic biofilm reactors

Abstract

Fermentative hydrogen production was studied in packed bed batch reactors to assess the influence of environmental factors over yield hydrogen production from dairy wastewater. Dried stems of Opuntia imbricata were used as substratum adding a pretreated mixed culture for biofilm formation. Experimental results showed that, yield hydrogen production was significantly affected by initial COD concentration, temperature and dairy wastewater pH. Maximum yield obtained was 12.73 mM H₂/g COD_c when initial COD concentration was 21.1 g COD, dairy wastewater pH with no adjustment (11.32) and room temperature of 16 ± 3°C. Methane production was completely inhibit at an initial pH of 4 at all temperature studied (final pH 4.06), meanwhile, with an initial pH of 11.32, with exception for 16°C, methanogenic activity was not completely inhibit when final pH was over 5, showing an increase in methane production of 0.35 to 0.75 g CH₄/l for 35 to 55°C.

Key words: Biofilm, dairy wastewater, hydrogen, Opuntia imbricata