Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Fermentation01:29

Fermentation

Most eukaryotic organisms require oxygen to survive and function adequately. Such organisms produce large amounts of energy during aerobic respiration by metabolizing glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water. However, most eukaryotes can generate some energy in the absence of oxygen by anaerobic metabolism.
Fermentation is a type of metabolic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, where organic molecules such as glucose are broken down to produce energy. During this process, the...
Microbial Fermentation01:23

Microbial Fermentation

Fermentation is a crucial anaerobic metabolic process that enables microbes to derive energy from sugar without relying on oxygen or an electron transport chain. This process is fundamental to various biological and industrial applications and is classified based on the metabolic products generated.Role of Pyruvate in FermentationPyruvate and its derivatives serve as key electron acceptors in fermentative pathways. The oxidation of NADH to regenerate NAD+ is essential for the continuation of...
Bioreactor Controls-II01:18

Bioreactor Controls-II

In aerobic fermentations, oxygen is vital for microbial growth and metabolite production. Since air comprises only about 20% oxygen and the gas is poorly soluble in water—just 9 ppm at 20°C—supplying sufficient oxygen becomes a critical challenge, especially in high-demand processes like yeast growth or citric acid production. Even a fully saturated broth may offer only a few seconds of oxygen availability.To address this, sterile or scrubbed air is introduced into the fermentor via a sparger...
Production of Organic Acids01:25

Production of Organic Acids

Lactic acid, an important organic acid extensively applied in food, pharmaceutical, and biodegradable polymer industries, is primarily produced via microbial fermentation. This method is favored over chemical synthesis due to its environmental sustainability and capacity for enantiomerically pure product formation. Among various microbial processes, the fermentation of starch-based substrates stands out due to the abundance and renewability of raw materials like corn and potatoes.Hydrolysis of...
Bioreactor Controls-I01:28

Bioreactor Controls-I

Maintaining optimal conditions within fermenters is essential for maximizing microbial productivity and ensuring process efficiency. This lesson focuses on key parameters—temperature, foam, pH, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pressure—and their precise measurement and control strategies in fermentation systems.Temperature ControlTemperature regulation is critical due to the exothermic nature of many fermentation processes. In small laboratory fermenters, temperature is commonly monitored using...
Fates of Pyruvate01:20

Fates of Pyruvate

Pyruvate is the end product of glycolysis, where glucose is oxidized to pyruvate, simultaneously reducing NAD+ to NADH. Two molecules of ATP are also produced by substrate-level phosphorylation.
In aerobic organisms, pyruvate is metabolized via the citric acid cycle to produce reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. These coenzymes are then oxidized in the electron transport chain to produce ATP and, in the process, regenerate the NAD+ and FAD. As seen in some cell types and organisms, fermentation...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Improving the Mechanical Properties of Biodegradable Polyhydroxyalkanoates via PHA-PHA Block-Copolymer Synthesis.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Making waves: Multicriteria strategies are key to reimagine the future of sewage sludge processing in Europe.

Water research·2026
Same author

Melt-glycolysis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate): A modular route to recycling and tuning of biodegradable materials.

International journal of biological macromolecules·2026
Same author

Corrigendum to "Modeling thermophilic syntrophic VFA oxidation using thermodynamic principles: Insights from enrichment cultures" [Bioresour. Technol. 449 (2026) 134365].

Bioresource technology·2026
Same author

Modeling thermophilic syntrophic VFA oxidation using thermodynamic principles: Insights from enrichment cultures.

Bioresource technology·2026
Same author

Coupling computational fluid dynamics and kinetic models using a compartmental model applied to a full-scale agricultural digester.

Journal of environmental management·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 24, 2026

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
10:00

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor

Published on: March 10, 2023

Gas controlled hydrogen fermentation.

Juan-Rodrigo Bastidas-Oyanedel1, Zuhaida Mohd-Zaki, Raymond J Zeng

  • 1INRA, UR0050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.

Bioresource Technology
|February 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Nitrogen flushing during acidogenic fermentation significantly boosts hydrogen production from organic waste. This biotechnology advancement enhances yields, bringing them closer to theoretical maximums for biorefineries.

More Related Videos

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
07:34

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production

Published on: June 15, 2014

Continuously-stirred Anaerobic Digester to Convert Organic Wastes into Biogas: System Setup and Basic Operation
11:31

Continuously-stirred Anaerobic Digester to Convert Organic Wastes into Biogas: System Setup and Basic Operation

Published on: July 13, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 24, 2026

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
10:00

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor

Published on: March 10, 2023

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
07:34

Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production

Published on: June 15, 2014

Continuously-stirred Anaerobic Digester to Convert Organic Wastes into Biogas: System Setup and Basic Operation
11:31

Continuously-stirred Anaerobic Digester to Convert Organic Wastes into Biogas: System Setup and Basic Operation

Published on: July 13, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology and Bioengineering
  • Anaerobic Digestion and Fermentation Processes
  • Renewable Energy and Biorefining

Background:

  • Acidogenic fermentation is a dual-purpose anaerobic process for treating organic residues, producing valuable chemicals like hydrogen, ethanol, and organic acids.
  • This process aligns with the biorefinery concept, offering a sustainable route for waste valorization.
  • It operates effectively without sterile conditions and across a broad pH range, making it robust.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate methods for enhancing product yield variability in acidogenic fermentation.
  • To explore the impact of reactor operating conditions, specifically nitrogen (N2) flushing, on metabolic shifts and product distribution.
  • To optimize hydrogen yield through controlled manipulation of gas phase conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments were designed involving reactor headspace N2-flushing to alter operating conditions.
  • Specific conditions tested included pH 4.5 and N2-flushing rates of 58.4 L·d(-1).
  • Thermodynamic analysis of key metabolic reactions (lactate hydrogenase, NADH hydrogenase, homoacetogenesis) was performed.

Main Results:

  • A significant increase in hydrogen yield was observed, rising from 1 to 3.25±0.4 mol H2/mol glucose equivalent.
  • This achieved yield approaches the theoretical maximum for acidogenic fermentation (4 mol H2/mol glucose equivalent).
  • The enhancement is attributed to thermodynamic shifts in metabolic pathways, driven by low hydrogen partial pressures induced by N2-flushing.

Conclusions:

  • Reactor headspace N2-flushing is an effective strategy to significantly enhance hydrogen yield in acidogenic fermentation.
  • Controlling hydrogen partial pressure via gas phase manipulation influences metabolic thermodynamics, favoring hydrogen production.
  • This method presents a promising advancement for optimizing biohydrogen production within the biorefinery framework.