Biohydrogen production from molasses at continous hydrogen production system by biohydrogenbacterium R3 sp.nov.

Research on Biohydrogenbacterium R3 sp.nov. biohydrogen production from molasses wastewater in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) was conducted. Emphasis was placed on the rapid start-up of ethanol-type fermentation in biological hydrogen production reactor. It is found that temperature of (35±1) °C, hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6 h, the reactor could start-up the ethanol-type fermentation with COD (chemical oxygen demand) at the range of 4000 mg/L and realize hydrogen production in stable. The hydrogen yield was about 3 L/d~5 L/d in the biogas, the rate of COD removal and the pH value were about 15 %~19 % and 4.0~4.5. The molasses wastewater was the suitable biohydrogen production substrate in CSTR reactor for Biohydrogenbacterium R3 sp.nov.