Batch process for bio-hydrogen production on small scale bioreactor from palm oil mill effluent (POME)

Abstract

In this study, treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) was carried out under anaerobic fermentation process with the intention to produce bio-hydrogen by micro flora. Experiment was investigated in 500mL bioreactor under mesophilic operation at  and different pH value. Raw POME was collected from cooling pond which is final discharge of effluent from the mill and POME sludge was collected from the anaerobic pond of a POME treatment plant at same Labu palm oil mill respectively. Source of inoculum was used is POME sludge as hydrogen producing bacteria. A batch reactor was found producing higher hydrogen at optimum parameter of pH 5.5 and 10% POME sludge (w/v) with maximum hydrogen production yield of 5988.96 mL H₂/ L-med and maximum hydrogen percentage in the biogas of 36% were obtained at pH 5.5. Throughout the study, there is no methane gas was observed in the evolved gas mixture.

Keywords: Bio-hydrogen, POME sludge, Raw POME,