Fermentative production of hydrogen in presence of modified mesoporous silica SBA-15

Abstract Hydrogen production was studied in the series of batch tests at 310 K in the presence of digested sludge free from methanogenic bacteria, glucose as the source of organic carbon and mesoporous silica of SBA-15 type as the adhesion-like material. Although mesopores of SBA-15 are too small for accommodation of bacteria (in this study mainly Clostridium and Enterobacter ) within the porous system of SBA-15, the obtained results showed that process efficiency and reaction rate were significantly improved in presence of modified SBA-15 in comparison with those results obtained in their absence. The amount of produced hydrogen in presence of small amounts of non-modified and surface modified ( NH 2 , Al 3+ ) SBA-15 was apparently higher of about 50% (20% for non-modified SBA-15) than in suspensions without silica. Experiments with SBA-15 modified with SO 3 H groups showed negative influence of acidic surface properties on hydrogen production. Appropriate surface properties (mainly basic) of silica are probably responsible for better adhesion and propagation of bacteria properties, biofilm formation and in consequence higher activity. Moreover, systems containing SBA-15 are more resistant to temperature changes of medium. Sequential adjustment of reaction pH with stabilization at 5.5 improved the efficiency of hydrogen production.

[1]  Marcin Wlodarczak,et al.  Application of immobilized Rhodobacter sphaeroides bacteria in hydrogen generation process under semi-continuous conditions , 2013 .

[2]  Jo-Shu Chang,et al.  Biohydrogen production with anaerobic sludge immobilized by ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer , 2005 .

[3]  M. Stodolny,et al.  Hydrothermal Stability of Mesoporous SBA-15 Modified with Alumina and Titania , 2011 .

[4]  M. Malinconico,et al.  The effect of the surface charge of hydrogel supports on thermophilic biohydrogen production. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[5]  Jo‐Shu Chang,et al.  Enhancing hydrogen production of Clostridium butyricum using a column reactor with square-structured ceramic fittings , 2008 .

[6]  M. Laniecki,et al.  Modified SBA-15 as the carrier for metoprolol and papaverine: Adsorption and release study , 2011 .

[7]  C. Webb,et al.  Studies in viable cell immobilization , 1996 .

[8]  Edson Luiz Silva,et al.  Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor with expanded clay as support for hydrogen production through dark fermentation of glucose , 2009 .

[9]  Katharine Kierek-Pearson,et al.  Biofilm development in bacteria. , 2005, Advances in applied microbiology.

[10]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  Enhanced Continuous Biohydrogen Production by Immobilized Anaerobic Microflora , 2008 .

[11]  B. Gaber,et al.  Surface acidity and basicity of functionalized silica particles , 1999 .

[12]  Bradley F. Chmelka,et al.  Nonionic Triblock and Star Diblock Copolymer and Oligomeric Surfactant Syntheses of Highly Ordered, Hydrothermally Stable, Mesoporous Silica Structures , 1998 .

[13]  S. Venkata Mohan,et al.  Self-immobilization of acidogenic mixed consortia on mesoporous material (SBA-15) and activated carbon to enhance fermentative hydrogen production , 2008 .

[14]  K. Seifert,et al.  Continuous photofermentative production of hydrogen by immobilized Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U.001 , 2015 .

[15]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  Biohydrogen production with anaerobic fluidized bed reactors—A comparison of biofilm-based and granule-based systems , 2008 .

[16]  Bulent E. Yoldas,et al.  Alumina gels that form porous transparent Al2O3 , 1975 .