Biohydrogen production by locally isolated facultative bacterial species using the biomass of Eichhornia crassipes: effect of acid and alkali treatment

Abstract

Hydrogen (H₂) produced from biological methods is a potential option to meet the growing clean energy needs. The present study aimed to produce biohydrogen by dark fermentation from nuisance aquatic weed, Eichhornia crassipes, using facultative anaerobic bacteria. A total of 12 bacterial strains were isolated from different wastewater sources and were screened for the potential of H₂ production using glucose as carbon source. Ten strains showed the H₂-producing potential and were identified up to the generic level by biochemical tests. Two strains with higher H₂ production were sequenced using PCR technique and identified as Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and selected for the studies with E. crassipes as the substrate. It was found that P. aeruginosa could produce 19.54 ± 0.03% of H₂ from 2% acid (H₂SO₄) treated substrate which was comparatively higher than that of 4 and 8% treatments. P. mirabilis also yielded better results of 5.42 ± 0.02% H₂ f or 2% acid (H₂SO₄) treated substrate than 4 and 8% treatments. In total, 33.52 ± 0.04% of H₂ was produced by P. aeruginosa for the substrate treated with 2% alkali (NaOH). It was noted that with respect to P. mirabilis 4% alkali treated substrate yielded a higher percentage of H₂ (20.23 ± 0.03%) compared to the other two concentrations. The results indicate that alkali treated substrate produced comparatively higher amount of H₂ than that of acid treated substrates. Regarding efficiency, P. aeruginosa was found to be more competent than P. mirabilis.

Keywords

Biohydrogen / Dark fermentation / Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Proteus mirabilis / Eichhornia crassipes / Acid and alkali treatment

References

[1] Aguilar R, Ramirez JA, Garrote G, Vazquez M. Kinetic study of the acid hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse. J Food Eng, 2002, 55: 309-318

[2] Alkaya E, Demirer GN. Anaerobic acidification of sugar-beet processing wastes: effect of operational parameters. Biomass Bioenergy, 2011, 35(1): 32-39

[3] Antonopoulou G, Lyberatos G (2011) Chemical pre-treatment of sweet sorghum biomass for hydrogen production. In: Proceedings of the 12th international conference on environmental science and technology rhodes, Greece, p A-86

[4] APHA Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 1998 19 Washington American Public Health Association

[5] Argun H, Dao S. Bio-hydrogen production from waste peach pulp by dark fermentation: effect of inoculum addition. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2016, 42(4): 2569-2574

[6] Argun H, Kargi F, Kapdan IK. Microbial culture selection for bio-hydrogen production from waste ground wheat by dark fermentation. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2009, 34: 2195-2200

[7] Aswathy US, Sukumaran RK, Devi GL Bio-ethanol from water hyacinth biomass: an evaluation of enzymatic saccharification strategy. Bioresour Technol, 2009, 101: 925-930

[8] Balat M. Potential importance of hydrogen as a future solution to environmental and transportation problems. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2008, 33(15): 4013-4029

[9] Barrow GI, Feltham RKA. Cowan and steel’s manual for the identification of medical bacteria, 1974 3 Cambridge Cambridge University Press

[10] Barua VB, Kalamdhad AS. Water hyacinth to biogas: a review. Pollut Res, 2016, 35(3): 491-501

[11] Benemann JR. Hydrogen biotechnology: progress and prospects. Nat Biotechnol, 1996, 14: 1101-1103

[12] Bergier I, Salis SM, Miranda CHB, Ortega E, Luengo CA. Biofuel production from water hyacinth in the Pantanal wetland. Ecohydrol Hydrobiol, 2012, 12: 77-84

[13] Brown JB, Brutoco R, Cusumano JA. Hydrogen revolution: growth, jobs, security & sustainability. Freedom from mid-east oil, 2007 1 Santa Barbara World Business Academy 403-438

[14] Cai M, Liu J, We Y. Enhanced biohydrogen production from sewage sludge with alkaline pre-treatment. Environ Sci Technol, 2004, 38: 3195-3202

[15] Center TD, Dray GA Jr, Jubindsky GP, Drodowitz MJ. Biological control of water hyacinth under conditions of maintenance management: can herbicides and insects be integrated?. Environ man, 1999, 23: 241-256

[16] Cheng J, Xie B, Zhou J, Song W, Cen K. Cogeneration of H₂ and CH₄ from water hyacinth by two-step anaerobic fermentation. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2010, 35(7): 3029-3035

[17] Chuang YS, Lay CH, Sen B, Chen CC, Gopalakrishnan K, Wud JH, Lin CS, Lin CY. Biohydrogen and biomethane from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) fermentation: effects of substrate concentration and incubation temperature. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2011, 36(21): 14195-14203

[18] Costa JB, Rossi DM, De Souza EA The optimization of biohydrogen production by bacteria using residual glycerol from biodiesel synthesis. J Environ Sci Health ATox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 2011, 46(13): 1461-1468

[19] Cui M, Yuan Z, Zhi X, Shen J. Optimization of biohydrogen production from beer lees using anaerobic mixed bacteria. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2009, 34: 7971-7978

[20] Das D, Veziroglu TN. Hydrogen production by biological processes: a survey of literature. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2001, 26(1): 13-28

[21] Das D, Veziroglu TN. Advances in biological hydrogen production processes. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2008, 33: 6046-6057

[22] Das A, Ghosh P, Paul T, Ghosh U, Pati BR, Mondal KC. Production of bioethanol as useful biofuel through the bioconversion of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Biotech, 2016, 6(1): 70

[23] Dhar BR, Elbeshbishy E, Hafez H, Lee HS. Hydrogen production from sugar beet juice using an integrated biohydrogen process of dark fermentation and microbial electrolysis cell. Bioresour Technol, 2015, 198: 223-230

[24] DuBois M, Gilles K, Hamilton J, Rebers P, Smith F. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem, 1956, 28(3): 350-356

[25] Elsharnouby O, Hafez H, Nakhla G A critical literature review on biohydrogen production by pure cultures. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2013, 38: 4945-4966

[26] Ewan B, Allen R. A figure of merit assessment of the routes to hydrogen. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2005, 30: 809-819

[27] Fang HHP, Liu H. Effect of pH on hydrogen production from glucose by a mixed culture. Bioresour Technol, 2002, 82: 87-93

[28] Fangkum A, Reungsang A. Biohydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate by elephant dung: effects of initial pH and substrate concentration. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2011, 36(14): 8687-8696

[29] Gunnarsson CC, Petersen CM. Water hyacinths as a resource in agriculture and energy production: a literature review. Waste Manage, 2007, 27: 117-129

[30] Guo WQ, Ren NQ, Wang XJ, Xiang WS, Meng ZH, Ding J Biohydrogen production from ethanol-type fermentation of molasses in an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2008, 33: 4981-4988

[31] Guo XM, Trably E, Latrille E Hydrogen production from agricultural waste by dark fermentation: a review. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2010, 35(19): 10660-10673

[32] Hay JXW, Wu TY, Juan JC, Jahim J. Biohydrogen production through photo fermentation or dark fermentation using waste as a substrate: overview, economics, and future prospects of hydrogen usage. Biofuels Bioprod Biorefining, 2013, 7: 334-352

[33] Ibrahim MM, El–Zawawy WK, Abdel-Fattah YR Comparison of alkaline pulping with steam explosion for glucose production from rice straw. Carbohydr Polym, 2011, 83(2): 720-726

[34] Idrees M, Adnan A, Sheikh S, Qureshi FA. Optimization of dilute acid pretreatment of water hyacinth biomass for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production. EXCLI J, 2013, 12: 30-40

[35] Kapdan IK, Kargi F. Bio-hydrogen production from waste materials. Enzym Microb Technol, 2006, 38: 569-582

[36] Kargi F, Eren NS, Ozmihci S. Hydrogen gas production from cheese whey powder (CWP) solution by thermophilic dark fermentation. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2012, 37: 2260-2266

[37] Kumar A, Singh LK, Ghosh S. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic fraction of water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) hemicellulose acid hydrolysate to ethanol by Pichia stipitis. Bioresour Technol, 2009, 100: 3293-3297

[38] Kumar G, Sivagurunathan P, Lin CY. Hydrogen fermentation potential of E. coli XL1 blue using various carbon sources. J Environ Appl Biores, 2013, 1(2): 19-23

[39] Lakshmidevi R, Muthukumar K. Enzymatic saccharification and fermentation of paper and pulp industry effluent for biohydrogen production. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2010, 35(8): 3389-3400

[40] Lay CH, Sen B, Chen CC, Wu JH, Lee SC, Lin CY. Co-fermentation of water hyacinth and beverage wastewater in powder and pellet form for hydrogen production. Bioresour Technol, 2013, 135: 610-615

[41] Lazaro CZ, Perna V, Etchebehere C, Varesche MBA. Sugarcane vinasse as substrate for fermentative hydrogen production: the effects of temperature and substrate concentration. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2014, 39: 6407-6418

[42] Levin DB, Sparling R, Islam R, Cicek N. Hydrogen production by Clostridium thermocellum 27405 from cellulosic biomass substrates. Int J of Hydrog Energy, 2006, 31(11): 1496-1503

[43] Li C, Fang HHP. Fermentation hydrogen production from wastewater and solid wastes by mixed cultures. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol, 2007, 37: 1-39

[44] Lin CY, Hung CH, Chen CH Effects of initial pH on fermentative hydrogen production from xylose using natural mixed cultures. Process Biochem, 2006, 41: 1383-1390

[45] Liu CM, Chu CY, Lee WY, Li YC, Wu SY, Chou YP. Biohydrogen production evaluation from rice straw hydrolysate by concentrated acid pre-treatment in both batch and continuous systems. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2013, 38: 15823-15829

[46] Luque GM, Bellard C, Bertelsmeier C, Bonnaud E, Genovesi P, Simberloff D, Courchamp F. Alien species: monster fern makes IUCN invader list. Nature, 2013, 498(7452): 37

[47] Ma F, Yang N, Xu C, Yu H, Wu J, Zhang X. Combination of biological pretreatment with mild acid pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production from water hyacinth. Bioresour Technol, 2010, 101(24): 9600-9604

[48] Marc A, Koohi-Fayegh RS. The prospects for hydrogen as an energy carrier: an overview of hydrogen energy and hydrogen energy systems. Energy Ecol Environ, 2016, 1(1): 10-29

[49] Marone A, Izzo G, Mentuccia L, Massini G, Paganin P, Rosa S Vegetable waste as substrate and source of suitable microflora for bio-hydrogen production. Renew Energy, 2014, 68: 6-13

[50] Mathur SM, Singh P. Development and performance evaluation of a water hyacinth chopper cum crusher. Biosyst Eng, 2004, 88(4): 411-418

[51] Minnan L, Jinli H, Xiaobin W, Huijuan X, Jinzao C, Chuannan L Isolation and characterization of a high H₂-producing strain Klebsiella oxytoca HP1 from a hot spring. Res Microbiol, 2005, 156: 76-81

[52] Mishima D, Kuniki M, Sei K, Soda S, Ike M, Fujita M. Ethanol production from candidate energy crops: water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.). Bioresour Technol, 2008, 99: 2495-2500

[53] Mohanty P, Pant KK, Mittal R. Hydrogen generation from biomass materials: challenges and opportunities. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Energy Environ, 2015, 4: 139-155

[54] Momirlan M, Veziroglu TN. Current status of hydrogen energy. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2002, 6: 141-179

[55] Nasra N, Guptab M, Elbeshbishyc E Biohydrogen production from pretreated corn cobs. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2014, 39(35): 19921-19927

[56] Nath K, Das D. Hydrogen from biomass. Curr Sci, 2003, 85(3): 265-271

[57] Nath K, Das D. Biohydrogen production as a potential energy source – Present state of art. JSIR, 2004, 63: 729-738

[58] Oncel S, Sukan FV. Effect of light intensity and the light: dark cycles on the long term hydrogen production of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by batch cultures. Biomass Bioenergy, 2011, 35(3): 1066-1074

[59] O’Sullivan C, Rounsefell B, Grinham A, William C, Udy J. Anaerobic digestion harvested aquatic weeds: water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), cabomba (Cabomba Caroliniana) and savinia (Salvinia molesta). Ecol Eng, 2010, 36: 1459-1468

[60] O-Thong S, Prasertsan P, Intrasungkha N Optimization of simultaneous thermophilic fermentative hydrogen production and COD reduction from palm oil mill effluent by Thermoanaerobacterium-rich sludge. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2008, 33(4): 1221-1231

[61] Parolin P, Rudolph B, Bartel S, Bresch C, Poncet C. World -wide invasion pathways of the South American Eichhornia crassipes. Acta Hortic, 2012, 937: 1133-1140

[62] Patel S. Threats, management and envisaged utilizations of aquatic weed Eichhornia crassipes: an overview. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol, 2012, 11: 249-259

[63] Patel SKS, Purohit H, Kalia VC. Dark fermentative hydrogen production by defined mixed microbial cultures immobilized on ligno-cellulosic waste materials. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2010, 35: 10674-10681

[64] Pattra S, Sittijunda S. Biohydrogen productions from hydrolysate of water hyacinth stem (Eichhornia crassipes) using anaerobic mixed cultures. Sains Malays, 2017, 46(1): 51-58

[65] Prakasaham RS, Satish T, Brahmaiah P Biohydrogen production from renewable agri-waste blend: optimization using mixer design. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2009, 34(15): 6143-6148

[66] Pudukudy M, Yaakob Z, Mohammad M, Narayanan B, Sopian K. Renewable hydrogen economy in Asia–opportunities and challenges: an overview. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2014, 30: 743-757

[67] Ramos LP. The chemistry involved in the steam treatment of lignocellulosic materials. Quim Nova, 2003, 26: 863-871

[68] Ramprakash B, Muthukumar K. Comparative study on the production of biohydrogen from rice mill wastewater. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2014, 39(27): 14613-14621

[69] Ray P, Kumar S, Pandey S. Impact evaluation of Neo-chetina spp. on different growth stages of water hyacinth. J. Plant Prot Res, 2009, 49(1): 7-14

[70] Reginatto V, Antônio RV. Fermentative hydrogen production from agro-industrial lignocellulosic substrates. Braz J Microbiol, 2015, 46(2): 323-335

[71] Ren N, Wang A, Cao G, Xu J, Gao L. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to hydrogen: potential and challenges. Biotechnol Adv, 2009, 27: 1051-1060

[72] Reungsang A, Sreela-or C. Bio-hydrogen production from pineapple waste extract by anaerobic mixed cultures. Energies, 2013, 6: 2175-2190

[73] Sathyanagalakshmi Sindhu R, Binod P, Usha K, Janu RK, Sukumaran, Pandey A. Bioethanol production from acid pretreated water hyacinth by separate hydrolysis and fermentation. J Sci Ind Res, 2011, 70: 156-161

[74] Seol E, Kim S, Raj SM Comparison of hydrogen-production capability of four different Enterobacteriaceae strains under growing and non-growing conditions. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2008, 33: 5169-5175

[75] Shanab SMM, Hanafy EA, Shalaby EA. Water hyacinth as non-edible source for biofuel production. Waste Biomass Valoris, 2017

[76] Sharma A, Aggarwal NK, Saini A, Yadav A. Beyond biocontrol: water hyacinth-opportunities and challenges. J Environ Sci Technol, 2016, 9: 26-48

[77] Show KY, Lee DY, Tay JH, Lin CY, Chang JS. Biohydrogen production: current perspectives and the way forward. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2012, 37(20): 15616-15631

[78] Sills DL, Gossett JM. Assessment of commercial hemicellulases for saccharification of alkaline pretreated perennial biomass. Bioresour Technol, 2011, 102(2): 1389-1398

[79] Singhal Y, Singh R. Effect of microwave pre-treatment of mixed culture on biohydrogen production from waste of sweet produced from Benincasa hispida. Int J of Hydrog Energy, 2014, 39: 7534-7540

[80] Sivaramakrishna D, Sreekanth D, Sivaramakrishnan M Effect of system optimizing conditions on biohydrogen production from herbal wastewater by slaughterhouse sludge. Int J of Hydrog Energy, 2014, 39: 7526-7533

[81] Soniagandhi S, Krishnaveni M. Bio-hydrogen production by Pseudomonas stutzeri KF532951. Int J of Chem and Anal Sci, 2013, 4(4): 210-212

[82] Stubbs TL, Kennedy AC (2012) Microbial weed control and microbial herbicides. In: Alvarez-Fernandez R (ed) Herbicides–environmental impact studies and management approaches. In Tech, Rijeka, pp 135–166

[83] Su H, Cheng J, Zhou J, Song W, Cen K. Hydrogen production from water hyacinth through dark- and photo-fermentation. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2010, 35: 8929-8937

[84] Suleman F, Dincer I, Agelin-Chaab M. Environmental impact assessment and comparison of some hydrogen production options. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2015, 40(21): 6976-6987

[85] Sun Y, Cheng J. Hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials for ethanol production: a review. Bioresour Technol, 2002, 83: 1-11

[86] Sylas VP (2010) An ecological study of the macrophytic vegetation of the Kuttanad wetland ecosystem. PhD Thesis, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, p 310

[87] Teater C, Yue Z, MacLellan J, Liu Y, Liao W. Assessing solid digestate from anaerobic digestion as feedstock for ethanol production. Bioresour Technol, 2011, 102: 1856-1862

[88] Thomas DM, Mechery J, Paulose SV. Carbon dioxide capture strategies from flue gas using microalgae: a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res, 2016, 23: 16926-16940

[89] Thomsen AB, Thygesen A, Bohn V Effects of chemical–physical pre-treatment processes on hemp fibres for reinforcement of composites and for textiles. Ind Crops Prod, 2006, 24: 113-118

[90] Vijayaraghavan K, Ahmad D, Ibrahim MKB. Biohydrogen generation from jackfruit peel using anaerobic contact filter. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2006, 31: 569-579

[91] Vivekanand V, Olsen EF, Eijsink VG, Horn SJ. Effect of different steam explosion conditions on methane potential and enzymatic saccharification of birch. Bioresour Technol, 2013, 127: 343-349

[92] Wang J, Wan W. Factors influencing fermentative hydrogen production: a review. Int J Hydrog Energy, 2009, 34: 799-811

[93] Wang S, Ma Z, Zhang T, Bao M, Su H. Optimization and modeling of biohydrogen production by mixed bacterial cultures from raw cassava starch. Front Chem Sci Eng, 2017, 11(1): 100-106

[94] Watanapokasin RY, Boonyakamol A, Sukseree S Hydrogen production and Anaerobic decolorization of wastewater containing Reactive Blue 4 by a bacterial consortium of Salmonella subterranean and Paenibacilluspolymyxa. Biodegradation, 2009, 20: 411-418

[95] Xie B, Guo L, Li XM Bio-hydrogen production from different pretreated sludge by Pseudomonas sp. GL1 and changes in the liquid phases. Huan Jing Ke Xue, 2008, 29(4): 996-1001

[96] Yan J, Wei Z, Wang Q, He M, Li S, Irbis C. Bioethanol production from sodium hydroxide/hydrogen peroxide pretreated water hyacinth via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with a newly isolated thermotolerant Kluyveromyces marxianu strain. Bioresour Technol, 2015, 193: 103-109

[97] Zhu Y, Ren X, Wu C. Influence of alkali treatment on the structure of new cell fibers. J Appl Polym Sci, 2004, 93(4): 1731-1735

Funding

Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment

Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Kerala, India