LAUSR

Hydrogen production from Saccharina Japonica by simultaneous dark fermentation (DF) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), called sDFMEC, was studied. In the novel sDFMEC process, substrates were converted to H2 and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by DF in the bulk phase, and VFAs are simultaneously oxidized by the exoelectrogens in the microbial film on anode electrode with further production of H2 at the cathode. The sDFMEC process was compared with DF and a combined process of DF and MEC in series (DF-MEC) in terms of H2 production. The overall H2 production from S. Japonica in sDFMEC process was higher (438.7 ± 13.3 mL/g-TS), than DF (54.6 ± 0.8 mL/g-TS) and DF-MEC (403.5 ± 7.9 mL/g-TS) process, respectively, which is approximately 3-times higher than those reported in the literature.