Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge

Adequate treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) in co-digestion with sewage sludge (SS) through dark fermentation (DF) technologies has been widely studied and recognized. However, there is little experience with a high-solids approach, where practical and scalable condit...

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Main Authors: Rodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez, Oscar Aguilar-Juárez, Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez, Blanca Estela Valdez-Guzmán, Brenda Aranda-Jaramillo, Salvador Carlos-Hernández
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Fermentation
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/7/398
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author Rodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez
Oscar Aguilar-Juárez
Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez
Blanca Estela Valdez-Guzmán
Brenda Aranda-Jaramillo
Salvador Carlos-Hernández
author_facet Rodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez
Oscar Aguilar-Juárez
Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez
Blanca Estela Valdez-Guzmán
Brenda Aranda-Jaramillo
Salvador Carlos-Hernández
author_sort Rodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez
collection DOAJ
description Adequate treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) in co-digestion with sewage sludge (SS) through dark fermentation (DF) technologies has been widely studied and recognized. However, there is little experience with a high-solids approach, where practical and scalable conditions are established to lay the groundwork for further development of feasible industrial-scale projects. In this study, the biochemical hydrogen potential of OFMSW using a 7 L batch reactor at mesophilic conditions was evaluated. Parameters such as pH, redox potential, temperature, alkalinity, total solids, and substrate/inoculum ratio were adjusted and monitored. Biogas composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. The microbial characterization of SS and post-reaction percolate liquids was determined through metagenomics analyses. Results show a biohydrogen yield of 38.4 NmLH<sub>2</sub>/gVS OFMSW, which forms ~60% of the produced biogas. Aeration was proven to be an efficient inoculum pretreatment method, mainly to decrease the levels of methanogenic archaea and metabolic competition, and at the same time maintain the required total solid (TS) contents for high-solids conditions. The microbial community analysis reveals that biohydrogen production was carried out by specific anaerobic and aerobic bacteria, predominantly dominated by the phylum Firmicutes, including the genus <i>Bacillus</i> (44.63% of the total microbial community), <i>Clostridium</i>, <i>Romboutsia</i>, and the phylum Proteobacteria, with the genus <i>Proteus</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-3e8fb5fcf94f4cfd809a7642a1f951fb2025-08-20T03:07:58ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372025-07-0111739810.3390/fermentation11070398Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage SludgeRodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez0Oscar Aguilar-Juárez1Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez2Blanca Estela Valdez-Guzmán3Brenda Aranda-Jaramillo4Salvador Carlos-Hernández5Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Laboratory for Byproducts Revalorization, Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe 25900, Coahuila, MexicoCenter for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco, Environmental Technology Department, Av. Normalistas 800, Colinas de la Normal, Guadalajara 44270, Jalisco, MexicoCenter for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Laboratory for Byproducts Revalorization, Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe 25900, Coahuila, MexicoCenter for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco, Environmental Technology Department, Av. Normalistas 800, Colinas de la Normal, Guadalajara 44270, Jalisco, MexicoCenter for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco, Environmental Technology Department, Av. Normalistas 800, Colinas de la Normal, Guadalajara 44270, Jalisco, MexicoCenter for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Laboratory for Byproducts Revalorization, Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe 25900, Coahuila, MexicoAdequate treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) in co-digestion with sewage sludge (SS) through dark fermentation (DF) technologies has been widely studied and recognized. However, there is little experience with a high-solids approach, where practical and scalable conditions are established to lay the groundwork for further development of feasible industrial-scale projects. In this study, the biochemical hydrogen potential of OFMSW using a 7 L batch reactor at mesophilic conditions was evaluated. Parameters such as pH, redox potential, temperature, alkalinity, total solids, and substrate/inoculum ratio were adjusted and monitored. Biogas composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. The microbial characterization of SS and post-reaction percolate liquids was determined through metagenomics analyses. Results show a biohydrogen yield of 38.4 NmLH<sub>2</sub>/gVS OFMSW, which forms ~60% of the produced biogas. Aeration was proven to be an efficient inoculum pretreatment method, mainly to decrease the levels of methanogenic archaea and metabolic competition, and at the same time maintain the required total solid (TS) contents for high-solids conditions. The microbial community analysis reveals that biohydrogen production was carried out by specific anaerobic and aerobic bacteria, predominantly dominated by the phylum Firmicutes, including the genus <i>Bacillus</i> (44.63% of the total microbial community), <i>Clostridium</i>, <i>Romboutsia</i>, and the phylum Proteobacteria, with the genus <i>Proteus</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/7/398biohydrogenorganic fraction municipal wastesewage sludgehigh-solids dark fermentation
spellingShingle Rodolfo Daniel Silva-Martínez
Oscar Aguilar-Juárez
Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez
Blanca Estela Valdez-Guzmán
Brenda Aranda-Jaramillo
Salvador Carlos-Hernández
Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
Fermentation
biohydrogen
organic fraction municipal waste
sewage sludge
high-solids dark fermentation
title Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
title_full Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
title_fullStr Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
title_full_unstemmed Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
title_short Biological Hydrogen Production Through Dark Fermentation with High-Solids Content: An Alternative to Enhance Organic Residues Degradation in Co-Digestion with Sewage Sludge
title_sort biological hydrogen production through dark fermentation with high solids content an alternative to enhance organic residues degradation in co digestion with sewage sludge
topic biohydrogen
organic fraction municipal waste
sewage sludge
high-solids dark fermentation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/7/398
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