Title: Potential of hydrogen production from organic Urban Solid Waste fermentation in Mexico

Authors: Idania Valdez-Vazquez, Jorge A. Acevedo-Benitez, Hector M. Poggi-Varaldo

Addresses: Department of Marine Biotechnology, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Km 107 highway Tijuana-Ensenada, 22860, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico. ' Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico P.O. Box 14-740, Mexico DF 07000, Mexico. ' Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico P.O. Box 14-740, Mexico DF 07000, Mexico

Abstract: Mexico generated 35.4 million tons of urban solid wastes in 2005 of which 51% were organic ones. This biomass can be fermented into H2 when H2-based technologies increase their market penetration for the year 2020. The purpose of this work was to review studies that have utilised organic solid wastes for fermentative H2 production and to evaluate the potential for Mexico. The experimental H2 yields (m³ H2/kg VS) were 0.283, 0.151 and 0.052 which correspond with low-, medium- and high-input substrate concentrations. Therefore, a potential of H2 production of 1.38 × 105 tons H2/year for the 2020 was calculated which could supply 20% of the future requirements for fuel cells vehicles in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City.

Keywords: fermentation; food wastes; hydrogen production; recycling; solid waste; volatile solids; waste menagement; urban waste; organic waste; biomass; fuel cells; electric vehicles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2009.024698

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2009 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.36 - 50

Published online: 15 Apr 2009 *

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