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Introducing capnophilic lactic fermentation in a combined dark-photo fermentation process: a route to unparalleled H2 yields

  • Bioenergy and biofuels
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Abstract

Two-stage process based on photofermentation of dark fermentation effluents is widely recognized as the most effective method for biological production of hydrogen from organic substrates. Recently, it was described an alternative mechanism, named capnophilic lactic fermentation, for sugar fermentation by the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana in CO2-rich atmosphere. Here, we report the first application of this novel process to two-stage biological production of hydrogen. The microbial system based on T. neapolitana DSM 4359T and Rhodopseudomonas palustris 42OL gave 9.4 mol of hydrogen per mole of glucose consumed during the anaerobic process, which is the best production yield so far reported for conventional two-stage batch cultivations. The improvement of hydrogen yield correlates with the increase in lactic production during capnophilic lactic fermentation and takes also advantage of the introduction of original conditions for culturing both microorganisms in minimal media based on diluted sea water. The use of CO2 during the first step of the combined process establishes a novel strategy for biohydrogen technology. Moreover, this study opens the way to cost reduction and use of salt-rich waste as feedstock.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Italian Ministry of the Environment (MATTM; project PIRODE), MIUR (PON01_02740 “Sfruttamento Integrato di Biomasse Algali in Filiera Energetica di Qualità - SIBAFEQ”, Programma Operativo Nazionale - Ricerca e Competitività 2007–2013), and CNR (Italian National Research Centre) (EFOR project), Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze (Project HYDROLAB2). RDP would also like to mention the contribution given to his activities by the participation in the IEA-HIA (International Energy Agency-Hydrogen Implementation Agreement), Annex 21 “Bioinspired and biological hydrogen”.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy

    L. Dipasquale, G. d’Ippolito & A. Fontana

  2. Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 24, 50144, Florence, Italy

    A. Adessi, F. Rossi & R. De Philippis

  3. Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM), CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy

    A. Adessi & R. De Philippis

Authors
  1. L. Dipasquale
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  2. A. Adessi
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  3. G. d’Ippolito
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  4. F. Rossi
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  5. A. Fontana
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  6. R. De Philippis
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to A. Fontana or R. De Philippis.

Additional information

L. Dipasquale and A. Adessi equally contributed to this work as first authors.

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Dipasquale, L., Adessi, A., d’Ippolito, G. et al. Introducing capnophilic lactic fermentation in a combined dark-photo fermentation process: a route to unparalleled H2 yields. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 1001–1010 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-6231-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-6231-4

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