Bio-hydrogen production from tequila vinasses: Effect of detoxification with activated charcoal on dark fermentation performance

Hydrogen production from dark fermentation is a potential source of sustainable fuel when it is generated from waste. This study compared hydrogen production resulting from fermentation using raw and detoxified tequila vinasse. Vinasse was detoxified with granular activated charcoal, which was used to adsorb compounds that could inhibit the production of hydrogen by dark fermentation. In batch cultures detoxification of vinasse led to up to 20% higher maximum velocities of hydrogen production, a 5.4 h reduction in the lag phase and an 11% higher molar yield, compared to results obtained with raw vinasse. Losses of sugars after detoxification provoked that the specific hydrogen volumetric yields obtained with detoxified vinasse were 30-40% lower with 5 g COD/L and 15 g COD/L initial concentrations, compared to the ones obtained with raw vinasse. For an initial 30 g COD/L no differences in specific hydrogen yields were observed between raw or detoxified vinasse in batch fermentation. Continuous culture fermentation of vinasse showed hydrogen production rates between 1.32 +/- 0.07 to 1.39 +/- 0.14 NL H-2/L-d when extra nutrients were added, while a stable production of hydrogen through fermentation of detoxified vinasse could not be maintained despite nutrient addition. Production of hydrogen from vinasse diluted with water with no additional nutrients was assessed and rates close to 0.42 +/- 0.02 NL H-2/L-d and hydrogen content close to 37% were obtained. Accumulation of lactic acid and a predominant production of butyric acid over acetic acid suggested that the fermentation dynamics of vinasse with no supplementary nutrients were especially susceptible to high substrate loading rates and prolonged hydraulic retention times. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.