Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

10:00
Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
Published on: March 10, 2023
A kinetic approach to anaerobic hydrogen-producing process
Yang Mu1, Han-Qing Yu, Gang Wang
1Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Water Research
|February 3, 2007
Summary
This study optimized hydrogen production from sucrose using a modified Gompertz model. Key factors like pH and temperature significantly influence microbial growth rates for efficient bioprocesses.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Hydrogen is a key renewable energy source.
- Anaerobic fermentation offers a sustainable route for hydrogen production.
- Optimizing microbial kinetics is crucial for efficient bioprocesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the kinetics of hydrogen production from sucrose using mixed anaerobic cultures.
- To modify the Gompertz model for describing microbial growth, substrate consumption, and product formation.
- To evaluate the effects of pH, temperature, and substrate-to-biomass ratio on microbial growth rate.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a modified Gompertz model to fit experimental data.
- Employed response-surface methodology to assess the impact of operational parameters.
- Determined optimal conditions for maximum specific microbial growth rate (μm).
Main Results:
- The modified Gompertz model accurately described the hydrogen production process.
- pH, temperature, and initial substrate-to-biomass ratio (S(0)/X(0)) significantly affected μm.
- Significant effects were observed for pH and the second-order interaction between pH and temperature.
Conclusions:
- Optimized conditions (pH 5.5, 34.6°C, S(0)/X(0) = 4.3g/g-VSS) yielded a maximum μm of 0.078 h⁻¹.
- Modeling microbial kinetics is essential for optimizing anaerobic hydrogen production.
- This research provides insights for enhancing biotechnical hydrogen generation efficiency.
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Methanogenesis
Methanogenesis is a critical microbial process in anaerobic ecosystems responsible for the biological production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and valuable biofuel. This metabolic pathway is primarily facilitated by methanogenic archaea, which thrive in anoxic environments such as wetlands, sediments, and animal gastrointestinal tracts. The absence of oxygen in these habitats prevents aerobic respiration, thereby favoring alternative biochemical pathways for organic matter degradation.In...
Chemiosmosis
Oxidative phosphorylation is a highly efficient process that generates large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the basic unit of energy that drives many cellular processes. Oxidative phosphorylation involves two processes— the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons reduce...
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons reduce...
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation. However, because inorganic electron donors...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Microbial Fuel Cells
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical devices that generate electricity by exploiting the metabolic processes of electrogenic bacteria. These systems provide a renewable energy source and serve as an innovative method for treating organic waste, such as wastewater.A typical MFC consists of two chambers: an anoxic (oxygen-free) compartment that houses the bacteria and an oxic (oxygen-rich) compartment that contains oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor. Many MFCs use proton...
Energy-requiring Steps of Glycolysis
Glucose is the source of nearly all energy used by organisms. The first step of converting glucose into usable energy is called glycolysis. Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol of the cell over two phases: an energy-requiring phase and an energy-releasing phase. Over the first three steps, glucose is converted into different forms and attached to two phosphate groups donated by two ATP molecules, resulting in an unstable sugar. In the next two stages, the unstable sugar splits into two sugar...
