The effect of hydraulic retention time and volatile fatty acids on biohydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent under non-sterile condition

• Main Authors: Mohd Yusoff, Mohd Zulkhairi, Abdul Rahman, Nor'aini, Abd. Aziz, Suraini, Chong, Mei Ling, Hassan, Mohd Ali, Shirai, Yoshihito
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information 2010
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/7658/1/The%20effect%20of%20hydraulic%20retention%20time%20and%20volatile%20fatty%20acids%20on%20biohydrogen%20production%20from%20palm%20oil%20mill%20effluent%20under%20non.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/7658/; http://ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas_april_2010.html

The effect of hydraulic retention time and volatile fatty acids produced during fermentation were investigated on biohydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent in a 50 L bioreactor. The fermentation was done in three different hydraulic retention times; HRT 5, HRT 3 and HRT 2 days. Hydraulic retention time and volatile fatty acids concentration showed a vital role in response to the biohydrogen concentration, biohydrogen rate and biohydrogen yield. The maximum biohydrogen concentration was obtained at HRT 2 days with 30% hydrogen content in biogas. The biohydrogen yield and rate were 1054 NmL/L-POME and 44 NmL/h/L-POME, respectively. The lowest biohydrogen yield and rate were observed at HRT 5 days with 557 NmL/L-POME and 5 NmL/h/LPOME,respectively. Meanwhile, the accumulation of propionic acid concentration up to 7 g/L was suggested as a factor that reduced the biohydrogen production.