Title: Biohydrogen fermentation from rubber latex processing wastewater pretreated by aluminium sulphate flocculation

Authors: Huy-Long Huynh Nguyen; Trung Duc Le; Bao-Dung Ngoc Thi; Tam-Anh Duong Nguyen

Addresses: Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh city (VNU-HCMC), 227 Nguyen Van Cu, Dist. 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' Department of Environmental Technology, Institute for Environment and Resources, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC), 142 To Hien Thanh, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' Green Processing, Bioremediation and Alternative Energies Research Group, Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, 19 Nguyen Huu Tho, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh city (VNU-HCMC), 227 Nguyen Van Cu, Dist. 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract: The rubber latex processing wastewater (RLPWW) has not considered as an ideal source for the bioconversion. Most previous works have only focused on the technologies applied for RLPWW treatment. In this study, RLPWW was used as a substrate to produce biohydrogen gas by five anaerobic microbial mixtures isolated from sewage sludge. The results showed that the microbial mixtures can well grow in this wastewater. First step, RLPWW was pretreated by Al₂(SO₄)₃ with dosage of 300 mg/l and pH 7 to reach suitable conditions of COD, BOD and TSS which are respectively 184, 110 and 125 mg/l. Second step, the microbial mixtures were added in pretreated RLPWW to ferment biohydrogen in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Dominant hydrogen-producing bacteria of the mixtures determined by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) method were Clostridium, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Enterobacter. After 28 hours, BPM mixture conducted a maximum cumulative hydrogen content of 221.35 ml H₂/l and COD, BOD, TSS, N, and P removals of 64.38, 71.43, 65.96, 54.12, and 79.86%, respectively. The application of the studied microbial mixtures was obviously effective method to combine the biohydrogen production and the RLPWW treatment.

Keywords: rubber latex processing wastewater; RLPWW; anaerobic fermentation; biohydrogen; wastewater treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2018.092720

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2018 Vol.21 No.2/3, pp.141 - 154

Received: 12 Jun 2017
Accepted: 06 Feb 2018
Published online: 28 Jun 2018 *

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