Biohydrogen production and wastewater treatment by anaerobic fermentation with UASB

In order to discuss the ability of H2-production and wastewater treatment, a up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) using a synthesized substrate with brown sugar wastewater was conducted to investigate the hydrogen yield, hydrogen producing rate, fermentation type of biohydrogen production, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate, respectively. The results show that when the biomass of inoculants was 22.5 g SS·L ⁻¹and the influent concentration, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and initial pH were within the ranges of 4 000∼6 000 mg COD·L⁻¹, 8 h and 5–5.5, respectively, and the biohydrogen producing reactor could work effectively. The maximum hydrogen production rate is 5.98L·d⁻¹. Simultaneously, the concentration of ethanol and acetate acid is around 80% of the aqueous terminal production in the system, which presents the typical ethanol type fermentation. pH is at the range of 4∼4.5 during the whole performing process, however, the removal rate of COD is just about 20%. Therefore, it´s still needs further research to successfully achieve the biohydrogen production and wastewater treatment, simultaneously.