Vinasse photoreforming for hydrogen production using Pt/TiO2 as catalyst under UV irradiation

Vinasse, a dark-colored aqueous byproduct of bioethanol production, contains a variety of organic compounds and inorganic salt ions. In this study, the photoreforming of vinasse was investigated using Pt/TiO2 as a catalyst under UV irradiation. The gaseous products generated were analyzed, revealing the formation of hydrogen (H2) along with other gases, including CO2, CH4, CO, C2H6, C2H4, C3H8, and C4H10. When using filtered vinasse, H2 and other gaseous products were produced solely through photolysis, even in the presence of the Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst. Notably, photocatalytic H2 production was observed when inorganic salt ions were removed from the vinasse, and a lower concentration of vinasse was employed in the reaction medium.