BIOCONVERSION OF CELLULOSE INTO HYDROGEN, BIOGAS AND ORGANIC ACIDS USING MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM FROM A PULP AND PAPER MILL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

This study evaluated the potential of a microbial consortium collected from a pulp and paper mill wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for converting cellulose to hydrogen, biogas and organic acids. Fermentation tests were conducted in batch reactors fed with different concentrations of cellulose as substrate: (C1) 2.0 g L -1; (C2) 5.0 g L -1 and (C3) 10.0 g L -1. The parameters investigated were hydrogen, biogas, organic acids, carbohydrates and pH. The maximum hydrogen production was 14.77, 39.25 and 22.53 mmol L -1, and the maximum methane was 4.40, 3.72 and 9.56 mmol L -1, for C1, C2 and C3, ...