Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. [email protected]
Bioresour Bioprocess, 2022 Mar 05;9(1):16.
PMID: 38647867 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00504-8

Abstract

Biohydrogen production through dark fermentation is very attractive as a solution to help mitigate the effects of climate change, via cleaner bioenergy production. Dark fermentation is a process where organic substrates are converted into bioenergy, driven by a complex community of microorganisms of different functional guilds. Understanding of the microbiomes underpinning the fermentation of organic matter and conversion to hydrogen, and the interactions among various distinct trophic groups during the process, is critical in order to assist in the process optimisations. Research in biohydrogen production via dark fermentation is currently advancing rapidly, and various microbiology and molecular biology tools have been used to investigate the microbiomes. We reviewed here the different systems used and the production capacity, together with the diversity of the microbiomes used in the dark fermentation of industrial wastes, with a special emphasis on palm oil mill effluent (POME). The current challenges associated with biohydrogen production were also included. Then, we summarised and discussed the different molecular biology tools employed to investigate the intricacy of the microbial ecology associated with biohydrogen production. Finally, we included a section on the future outlook of how microbiome-based technologies and knowledge can be used effectively in biohydrogen production systems, in order to maximise the production output.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.