Enhanced bio-hydrogen production from sugarcane juice by immobilized Clostridium butyricum on sugarcane bagasse

Immobilized Clostridium butyricum TISTR 1032 on sugarcane bagasse improved hydrogen production rate (HPR) approximately 1.2 times in comparison to free cells. The optimum conditions for hydrogen production by immobilized C. butyricum were initial pH 6.5 and initial sucrose concentration of 25 g COD/L. The maximum HPR and hydrogen yield (HY) of 3.11 L H2/L substrate·d and 1.34 mol H2/mol hexose consumed, respectively, were obtained. Results from repeated batch fermentation indicated that the highest HPR of 3.5 L H2/L substrate·d and the highest HY of 1.52 mol H2/mol hexose consumed were obtained at the medium replacement ratio of 75% and 50% respectively. The major soluble metabolites in both batch and repeated batch fermentation were butyric and acetic acids.