Biomass based hydrogen production by dark fermentation — recent trends and opportunities for greener processes

doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2017.12.024

Current Opinion in Biotechnology

Volume 50, April 2018, Pages 136-145

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2017.12.024 Get rights and content

Highlights

•
DF is limited by low yields, hence integration with secondary energy recovery methods is essential.
•
Efficient pretreatments for biomass with improved reactor designs increase H₂ yields.
•
Consolidated bioprocessing in both native and engineered scenarios is promising.
•
Microalgae and macroalgae biomass are potential alternative feedstocks.
•
A circular biorefinery is proposed: complete conversion of biomass to energy and valuable products.

The generation of biohydrogen as source of biofuel/bioenergy from the wide variety of biomass has gathered a substantial quantum of research efforts in several aspects. One of the major thrusts in this field has been the pursuit of technically sound and effective methods and/or approaches towards significant improvement in the bioconversion efficiency and enhanced biohydrogen yields. In this perspective, the present contribution showcases the views formulated based on the latest advances reported in dark fermentative biohydrogen production (DHFP), which is considered as the most feasible route for commercialization of biohydrogen. The potential prospects and future research avenues are also presented.

Graphical abstract

Introduction

The impending lack of energy has instigated the search for eco-friendly, biodegradable, sustainable and cost-effective biofuels from renewable carbon sources of various organic streams [1]. Among the biofuels, hydrogen from both renewable and non-renewable sources is highly promising because of its clean burning properties and its use in transportation and power generation sectors [2, 3]. Dark fermentation (DF) or anaerobic fermentation for hydrogen production is the decomposition of organic carbon substrates using facultative or obligate anaerobic bacteria including but not exclusively Clostridium, Enterobacter, Bacillus and Escherichia coli. The pathway is described by the equations below. $Glucose \overset{Glycolysis}{⟶} Pyruvate$ $Pyruvate + Co-A + 2 Fd (ox) \overset{Reduction}{⟶} Acetyl Co-A + 2 Fd (red) + {CO}_{2}$ $2 Fd (red) ⟶_{Hydrogenase}^{Oxidation} 2 Fd (ox) + H_{2} ↑$ The main soluble products are certain organic acids like acetate, propionate and butyrate along with ethanol [4•, 5]. Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is currently the most available biomass resource for biohydrogen production, but it is challenged by the recalcitrant nature of the biomass and the generation of potential fermentative inhibitors, based on the nature of the biomass and the pretreatment process used [6]. Microalgae and macroalgae are the third generation feedstock for hydrogen production [7], and wastewater treatment by DF is an alternate route to explore [8]. In this review, we explore the recent advances in biohydrogen production by DF, including feedstock, reactor design and other possible green processes.

Section snippets

Green biomass processing for hydrogen production

Natural and green biological pathways for hydrogen production are water-splitting photosynthesis, photo fermentation, DF and electro fermentation. The energy efficient hydrogen production mainly depends on the choice of a biocatalyst/inoculum involved in the bioprocess [9]. Production of hydrogen from industrial wastewater is considerably subjected to the type of inoculum, composition and nature of biodegradability and among them, the inoculum source plays a vital role [10, 11•].

Algae-based H₂ production via DF and water-splitting photosynthesis

Microalgae and macroalgae are an attractive feedstock for biohydrogen production, as they are devoid of lignin, thus reducing the complexities of pretreatment. The carbohydrates present in microalgae including green algae and cyanobacteria are simple polyglucans like starch and glycogen, while macroalgae are composed of different sugar acids and sugar alcohols like glucuronic acid and mannitol [55]. Nutrient deprivation strategies like nitrogen or sulfur depletion has been applied successfully

Conclusions

The development of large-scale biohydrogen production by DF is challenged by the high price associated with the feedstock, the development and operation of functional bioreactors and the thermodynamic limitations on the hydrogen yield by microbial fermentation. As a sustainable biofuel, biohydrogen also faces competition from other biofuels used in the transportation sector like biodiesel and other bio-based hydrocarbon fuels. With the current advances in feedstock pretreatment of LCB biomass

Conflict of interest

None declared.

References and recommended reading

Papers of particular interest, published within the period of review, have been highlighted as:

• of special interest
•• of outstanding interest

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) under grant numbers of MOST 106-3113-E-006-011, 106-3113-E-006-004-CC2, 104-2221-E-006-227-MY3, and 103-2221-E-006-190-MY3.

Author GK acknowledge the financial assistance from Ton Duc Thang University, Ho chi Minh City, Vietnam.

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Biomass based hydrogen production by dark fermentation — recent trends and opportunities for greener processes

Highlights

Graphical abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Green biomass processing for hydrogen production

Algae-based H2 production via DF and water-splitting photosynthesis

Conclusions

Conflict of interest

References and recommended reading

Acknowledgements

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Bioresour Technol

Int Biodeterior Biodegrad

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Biomass Convers Biorefinery

Curr Org Chem

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Energy Convers Manag

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Renew Sustain Energy Rev

Renew Sustain Energy Rev

J Sci Ind Res

Int J Chem Stud

J Chin Chem Soc

Membranes

Bioresour Technol

Green Chem

Bioresour Technol

Microb Cell Factories

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

Biotechnol Biofuels

Bioresour Technol

Biomass Bioenergy

Biotechnol Biofuels

Biochem Eng J

Bioresour Technol

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Chem Soc Rev

Bioresour Technol

Nat Commun

Front Chem Sci Eng

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Biotechnol Lett

N Biotechnol

J Appl Electrochem

J Power Sources

Rev Environ Sci Bio/Technol

Process Saf Environ Prot

Algae-based H₂ production via DF and water-splitting photosynthesis