Biohydrogen dark fermentation

Dark fermentation is the fermentative conversion of organic substrate to biohydrogen, it is a complex process manifested by a diverse group of bacteria by a series of biochemical reactions involving three steps similar to anaerobic conversion. Dark fermentation differs from photofermentation because it proceeds without the presence of light. 

M. Krupp, Biohydrogen production from organic waste and wastewater by dark fermentation - a promising module for renewable energy production. Shaker Verlag, Aachen, 2007. 

Dark fermentation presents many advantages with respect to photo-fermentation. Reactor design is not affected by light supply thus, dark bioreactors exploit volume more efficiendy, and oxygen removal is no more a problem when the anaerobic conditions are chosen. Consequendy, dark bioreactors are the main focus of research to develop a reliable, industrial-scale system to produce biohydrogen (Levin, Pitt, Love, 2004). 

The biohydrogen biological processes are affected by different inhibition factors, as seen previously O2 (product) inhibition in direct photolysis, pH and H2 in dark fermentation. 

Chong, M., Sabaratnam, V., Shirai, Y., Hassan, M. A. (2009). Biohydrogen production from biomass and industrial wastes by dark fermentation. International Journal of Hydrogen... 

Krupp, M., Widmann, R. (2009). Biohydrogen production by dark fermentation experiences of continuous operation in large lab scale. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 34, 4509-4516. 

Ntaikou, I., Antonopoulou, G., Lyberatos, G. (2010). Biohydrogen production from biomass and wastes via dark fermentation a review. Waste and Biomass Valorization, I, 21—39. 

Rittmann, S., Herwig, C. (2012). A comprehensive and quantitative review of dark fermentative biohydrogen production. Microbial Cell Factories, 11, 115. 

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