Microbial Electrolysis System for Biohydrogen Production

This book explores the latest information on microbial electrolysis systems (MES) for hydrogen production and provides a comprehensive and technical description of various aspects of biohydrogen in anaerobic fermentation and efforts to maximize their yield at optimum conditions. Recently, MES has become a new research area in chemical synthesis, waste remediation, and fuel and electricity generation. Microbiology-based performance for hydrogen production in MES has become an alternative sustainable green technology for clean energy production. In this context, the book is divided into three parts focusing on the basic concept and fundamentals of the MES system for hydrogen production. The first part discusses various structural components and factors influencing biohydrogen production. In addition, microbes and enzymes responsible for biohydrogen production are also explored with the focus on microbial ecology and enzymology responsible for the breakdown of the complex substrate into simple sugar. The second part shows waste pre-treatment strategies and potential feedstock for molecular techniques for biohydrogen production, highlighting several innovative pre-treatment technologies and biocycling. The part also focuses on issues addressing bioproducts, waste management, and bioprocessing technologies for various feedstocks for biohydrogen production in existing industries in the bioeconomic framework. The last part deals with the progress and development in biohydrogen production in the global scenario in terms of scale-up models and new innovation development. The book is useful for young researchers, scientists, students, engineers, managers, technicians, and government officials working in biohydrogen production and waste management.

 Dr. Neeraj Kumar Singh is Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Biotechnology and Food science at Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa. Previously, he worked as a research associate in the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India. He earned his M.Phil. and Ph.D. in environment and sustainable development from the Central University of Gujarat, India. Dr. Singh has contributed extensively to government funded research projects under the Department of Science and Technology, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Department of Biotechnology and BRICS countries, focusing on biohydrogen, biomethane, bioelectrochemical system, and microbial fuel cell. Dr. Singh has authored many research papers, book chapters, and two edited books. His research has pioneered innovative pre-treatment strategies for lignocellulosic biomass to recovered value-added products and suppress methane emissions, thereby enhancing hydrogen production in bioelectrochemical systems.

Dr. Manoj Kumar is Research Associate in the Department of Hydrology at IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India. He is an environmental scientist with expertise in wastewater treatment, constructed wetlands, and bioelectrochemical systems (MFCs and MECs), with a focus on sustainable water management, energy recovery, and pollution mitigation. He earned his M.Phil. and Ph.D. in environmental science from the Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat, India, and an M.Sc. in environmental microbiology form Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, a Central University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He also serves as a reviewer and editorial board member for international journals and played a key role in developing India’s guidelines for constructed wetland systems for sewage treatment.

Dr. Abhilasha Singh Mathuriya is Scientist D/Joint Director (s) in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. She has completed M.Tech. in biochemical engineering and Ph.D. in biotechnology. Her areas of interests include bioelectrochemical systems, waste to energy, fermentation, and biological wastewater treatment. She has authored 61 high impact factor papers and 18 books/book chapters. She managed two externally funded research projects from DST and DRDO.