Impact of pH Management Interval on Biohydrogen Production from Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Wastes by Mesophilic Thermophilic Anaerobic Codigestion

Abstract

The biohydrogen productions from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (OFMSW) were studied under pH management intervals of 12 h (PM12) and 24 h (PM24) for temperature of37±0.1°C and55±0.1°C. The OFMSW or food waste (FW) along with its two components, noodle waste (NW) and rice waste (RW), was codigested with sludge to estimate the potential of biohydrogen production. The biohydrogen production was higher in all reactors under PM12 as compared to PM24. The drop in pH from 7 to 5.3 was observed to be appropriate for biohydrogen production via mesophilic codigestion of noodle waste with the highest biohydrogen yield of 145.93 mL/gCODremovedunder PM12. When the temperature was increased from 37°C to 55°C and pH management interval was reduced from 24 h to 12 h, the biohydrogen yields were also changed from 39.21 mL/gCODremovedto 89.67 mL/gCODremoved, 91.77 mL/gCODremovedto 145.93 mL/gCODremoved, and 15.36 mL/gCODremovedto 117.62 mL/gCODremovedfor FW, NW, and RW, respectively. The drop in pH and VFA production was better controlled under PM12 as compared to PM24. Overall, PM12 was found to be an effective mean for biohydrogen production through anaerobic digestion of food waste.