Biohydrogen production by anaerobic fermentation from manure wastewater

Biohydrogen production by anaerobic sludge was studied by using manure wastewater as substrate, in batch process. The influences of sludge and carbon nitrogen nutrition on hydrogen production, the liquid fermentative products and hydrogen dynamics were investigated. The results indicate both sludge and nutrition were able to enhance the hydrogen production. It can be obtained maximum hydrogen content 50.65%, cumulative hydrogen production 334.80 mL and hydrogen yield per COD 287.10 mL/g from manure wastewater with carbon nitrogen nutrition and sewage sludge. However, the cumulative hydrogen production and the hydrogen yield per COD were only 59.24 mL and 67.05 mL/g from raw wastewater. Acetic acid and butyric acid in the effluent of fermentation occupied 61%-86%. It might be acetic-butyric acid type fermentation in the batch reactor. The more the VFA content, the higher the hydrogen yield. A modified Gompertz model can adequately describe the H2 production.