The Dark Fermentation Hydrogen Production of Mixed Bacterial Strains with Immobilized Cells from Household Waste

Polyurethane sponge particles were employed as bio-immobilized cell carriers for dark fermentation hydrogen production with heating-treated cow dung inoculum from epipremnum aureum waste and kitchen waste. This study explored the performance changes of batch dark fermentation hydrogen production systems under different influent substrates. Different influent total solids concentration and substrate types both had a large effect on the efficiency of the biological hydrogen production process. Based on the combined analysis of hydrogen production efficacy, VFA, and energy conversion efficiency, the optimal influent total solids concentration was 2 g/L and 10 g/L for epipremnum aureum waste and kitchen waste, respectively. For the epipremnum aureum waste, the energy conversion efficiency was 13.6% and the metabolic type was mixed fermentation at a total solids concentration of 2 g/L. For kitchen waste, the energy conversion efficiency was 14.4% and the metabolic type was ethanol/acetic fermentation at a total solids concentration of 10 g/L. The results indicate that epipremnum aureum waste and kitchen waste can be used as substrates for dark fermentation hydrogen production, and kitchen waste performed better than epipremnum aureum waste at the same influent total solids concentration. Compared to other nutrients, both epipremnum aureum waste and kitchen waste also showed better hydrogen production efficacy and energy conversion efficiency. The study can provide a more economical and efficient method for residential household waste recycling.