Enhanced biohydrogen production from cornstalk wastes with acidification pretreatment by mixed anaerobic cultures

Biohydrogen production from the cornstalk wastes with acidification pretreatment was reported in this paper. Batch tests were carried out to analyze influences of several environmental factors on biohydrogen production from cornstalk wastes. Two predominant bacterial morphologies, namely spore-forming rod shape bacteria and micrococcus were screened, purified, and identified after enriched from a hydrogen-producing fermentor with cow dung composts. The maximum cumulative H2 yield of 149.69 ml H2 g−1 TVS was obtained at initial pH 7.0 and substrate concentration 15 g l−1, the value is about 46-fold as compared with that of raw cornstalk wastes. The maximum hydrogen production rate was 7.6 ml H2 h−1. The hydrogen concentration in biogas was 45–56% (v/v) and there was no significant methane observed in the biogas throughout this study. In addition, biodegradation characteristics of the substrate by microorganisms were also discussed. During the conversion of cornstalk wastes into hydrogen, the acetate, propionate, butyrate, and the ethanol were main by-products in the metabolism of hydrogen fermentation. The test results showed that the acidification pretreatment of the substrate plays a crucial role in conversion of the cornstalk wastes into biohydrogen gas by the cow dung composts generating hydrogen.