Effect of arabinose concentration on dark fermentation hydrogen production using different mixed cultures

Dark fermentation hydrogen production from arabinose at concentrations ranging between 0 and 100 g/L was examined in batch assays for three different mixed anaerobic cultures, two suspended sludges (S1, S2) obtained from two different sludge digesters and one granular sludge (G) obtained from a brewery wastewater treatment plant. After elimination of the methanogenic activity by heat treatment, all mixed cultures produced hydrogen, and optimal hydrogen rates and yields were generally observed for concentrations between 10 and 40 g/L of substrate. Higher concentrations of arabinose up to 100 g/L inhibited hydrogen production, although the effect was different from inoculum to inoculum. It was evident that the granular biomass was less affected by increased initial arabinose concentrations when calculating the rate of decrease in hydrogen yields versus arabinose concentrations, compared against the two suspended sludges. The largest amount of soluble microbial product produced for all three inocula was for n-butyrate. Also, valeric acid production was observed in some samples. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.