Elucidating the Role of Biofilm-Forming Microbial Communities in Fermentative Biohydrogen Process: An Overview

Abstract

Amongst the biofuels described in the literature, biohydrogen has gained heightened attention over the past decade due to its remarkable properties. Biohydrogen is a renewable form of H2 that can be produced under ambient conditions and at a low cost from biomass residues. Innovative approaches are continuously being applied to overcome the low process yields and pave the way for its scalability. Since the process primarily depends on the biohydrogen-producing bacteria, there is a need to acquire in-depth knowledge about the ecology of the various assemblages participating in the process, establishing effective bioaugmentation methods. This work provides an overview of the biofilm-forming communities during H2 production by mixed cultures and the synergistic associations established by certain species during H2 production. The strategies that enhance the growth of biofilms within the H2 reactors are also discussed. A short section is also included, explaining techniques used for examining and studying these biofilm structures. The work concludes with some suggestions that could lead to breakthroughs in this area of research.

Valorization of Food Waste into Single-Cell Protein: An Innovative Technological Strategy for Sustainable Protein Production

“…); however, most studies coincide with these results, as shown in similar studies conducted in other regions such as Asia [ 41 , 42 ], Europe [ 43 ], Africa [ 44 ], and North and South America [ 45 ]. From a techno-economic standpoint, fruit and vegetable wastes are deemed suitable for SCP due to their high composition of monomeric sugars (glucose and sucrose), low lignin content, biodegradable nature, ability to be assimilated by a wide spectrum of microorganisms, and high accessibility [ 46 , 47 ]. It has also been shown that fruit wastes such as pineapple peel, orange peel, potato peel, banana peel, and carrot pulp increase the SCP yields due to their high composition of sugars that ranges from 54.17 to 83% [ 48 , 49 ].…”

Optimization of Subcritical Water Pretreatment on Glutinous Rice Husk for Efficient Sugar and Hydrogen Production

“…The loosening of the lignocellulosic structure enhances the dark fermentative bacteria's ability to undergo dark fermentation to maximize biogas production [77]. Hydrogen-producing bacteria require optimum operational conditions such as pH value, temperature, and total solids concentration to enhance the dark fermentation [78][79][80][81][82] of GRH. The optimum pH value used in this dark fermentation was 5.5.…”