Hydrogen Production via Thermophilic Fermentation of Cornstalk by Clostridium thermocellum

An efficient hydrogen production process via thermophilic fermentation of cornstalk was developed by Clostridium thermocellum 7072. The hydrogen fermentation process was successfully scaled from a 125 mL anaerobic bottle to a 100 L continuous stirred-tank reactor, and the hydrogen production from cornstalk was significantly improved in the bioreactor system because of good mixing and mass transfer. The hydrogen yield in the 100 L continuous stirred-tank reactor reached 61.4 mL/g of cornstalk, which was higher than that in the 125 mL anaerobic bottle. The present work indicated that direct microbial conversion of lignocellulosic waste via C. thermocellum was a promising avenue for biohydrogen production.