Investigation of the effect of different crude glycerol components on hydrogen production by Enterobacter aerogenes NRRL B-407

Crude glycerol (CG) is the main by-product (waste) of biodiesel production (by transesterification of lipids) and by weight it could be as high as 10% (w/w) of the final product. Considering global interest for biodiesel production, there is a need for sustainable management of the waste. In this context, bio-hydrogen production by utilization of CG could be an interesting option. Moreover, hydrogen is considered as the cleanest renewable alternative of fossil fuels. However, CG contains a few impurities, such as methanol, NaCl and soap and their individual and interactive effect on hydrogen production should be investigated. Thus, present study deals with the investigation of the effect of methanol, NaCl and soap on hydrogen production and substrate (glycerol) utilization. Based on the investigation carried out using response surface methodology, it was observed that soap is the most significant factor (p value = 0.0104