Zubchenko L. Biotechnological production of hydrogen in biofuel cell with a photoelectrochemical cathode

The thesis is devoted to the development of the biotechnological process of hydrogen production in a biofuel cells with a semiconductor photocathode. The biofilm formation technique of exoelectrogenic microorganisms has been improved in order to reduce the duration and simplify the process of isolating the electrochemically active association of exoelectrogenic microorganisms. Crystalline silicon was selected for the photoelectrochemical component based on the ratio analysis of the energy levels values and oxidation-reduction potentials of the reactions, occurring in the bioelectrochemical system. The minimum photoelectrochemical cell photovoltage was – 0,4 V. The productivity of the hydrogen release in the photobioelectrochemical fuel cell functioning on the model wastewater of the dairy industry was investigated. The rational values of the COD for using the photobioelectrochemical fuel cell as a stage of the wastewater treatment technology were evaluated to be COD > 900 mgO2/dm3. The hydrogen yield in these conditions reached 0.01±0,9•10 3 gH2/gCOD. Нowever, when the COD was 3000 mgO2/dm3, hydrogen yield decreased by 45% compared to 2000 mgO2/dm3 COD value. On the basis of the data obtained from the experiments, the technological scheme for the hydrogen production during dairy industry wastewater treatment was developed.