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Fermentative hydrogen production from beet sugar factory wastewater treatment in a continuous stirred tank reactor using anaerobic mixed consortia

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Abstract

A low pH, ethanol-type fermentation process was evaluated for wastewater treatment and bio-hydrogen production from acidic beet sugar factory wastewater in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with an effective volume of 9.6 L by anaerobic mixed cultures in this present study. After inoculating with aerobic activated sludge and operating at organic loading rate (OLR) of 12 kgCOD·m−3·d−1, HRT of 8h, and temperature of 35°C for 28 days, the CSTR achieved stable ethanol-type fermentation. When OLR was further increased to 18 kgCOD·m−3·d−1 on the 53rd day, ethanol-type fermentation dominant microflora was enhanced. The liquid fermentation products, including volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and ethanol, stabilized at 1493 mg·L−1 in the bioreactor. Effluent pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and alkalinity ranged at 4.1–4.5, −250-(−290) mV, and 230–260 mgCaCO3·L−1. The specific hydrogen production rate of anaerobic activated sludge was 0.1 L·gMLVSS−1·d−1 and the COD removal efficiency was 45%. The experimental results showed that the CSTR system had good operation stability and microbial activity, which led to high substrate conversion rate and hydrogen production ability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China

    Gefu Zhu, Chaoxiang Liu, Lin Liu & Xu Huang

  2. School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China

    Jianzheng Li & Nanqi Ren

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  1. Gefu Zhu
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  2. Chaoxiang Liu
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  3. Jianzheng Li
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  4. Nanqi Ren
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  5. Lin Liu
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  6. Xu Huang
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Correspondence to Gefu Zhu.

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Zhu, G., Liu, C., Li, J. et al. Fermentative hydrogen production from beet sugar factory wastewater treatment in a continuous stirred tank reactor using anaerobic mixed consortia. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 7, 143–150 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-012-0456-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-012-0456-1

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