Hydrogen from photo fermentation

Abstract

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018. Hydrogen is considered to be a promising future fuel for the transportation sector due to its zero carbon emissions and high energy capacity by mass. Nevertheless, an energy-saving and environmentally friendly hydrogen production pathway has not yet been achieved on an industrial scale. Hydrogen may be produced from waste streams during photofermentation using purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB). This process has unique advantages, such as high hydrogen yield and environment benefits. This chapter provides an overview of PNSB and its enzyme system used in photofermentative hydrogen production, factors affecting fermentation, and hydrogen production from industrial waste, wastewater, and agricultural biomass. Both suspension and immobilized cultures of PNSB used in various types of photobioreactors are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the fluid flow and mass transfer in bioreactors using lattice Boltzmann simulation are presented. Enhancement strategies and perspectives of photofermentative hydrogen production are also outlined.