Reduction in carbon dioxide and production of methane by biological reaction in the electronics industry

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.12.007

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Volume 38, Issue 8, 19 March 2013, Pages 3488-3496

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.12.007 Get rights and content

Abstract

Biological methane production is a more environmentally friendly technology for carbon dioxide reduction than physical and chemical methods. Carbon dioxide can be reduced biologically to methane with hydrogen as the reducing agent under anaerobic conditions. In this study, carbon dioxide discharged from the electronics industry was reduced biologically to methane using the hydrogen produced from electrochemical wastewater treatment. Electrocoagulation technology was applied to treat industrial wastewater and obtain hydrogen without oxygen production. On mixing and injecting the hydrogen and carbon dioxide that were emitted from the facility into an anaerobic reactor, the methane content that was discharged from the anaerobic reactor and the reduction rate of carbon dioxide were 92% and 98%, respectively. This technology, combined with electrocoagulation and biological reaction, reduces carbon dioxide levels and produces methane.

Highlights

► H₂ was produced electrochemically without O₂ using industrial wastewater. ► CH₄ can be produced biologically using CO₂ and H_2. ► Optimization of operational factors (pH and mixture ratio of H₂ and CO₂). ► High production rate of CH₄ was achieved using pilot-scale hybrid system.

Section snippets

1Introduction

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a greenhouse gas and a major contributor to global warming. Thus, CO₂ emission is tightly regulated by climate change conventions. In particular, the electronics industry accounts for 6.3% of CO₂ emissions by all manufacturing industries [1]. During the past decade, many chemical, physical, and biological technologies to reduce atmospheric CO₂ have been examined [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. Biological CO₂ reduction has been proposed as more environmentally friendly than

Characteristics of HF wastewater

Wastewater was taken from a semiconductor manufacturer in Korea. The water quality of the wastewater are shown in Table 1. The composition of the wastewater was analyzed using an ion chromatograph (Dionex, DX-100) and an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (GBC 904AA).

Hydrogenotrophs culture

To culture hydrogentrophs, a cylindrical fermentor—160 mm in diameter, 200 mm in height, and working volume of 2.5 L—was used. Basic medium contained (per liter): NH₄Cl: 1 g; KH₂PO₄: 0.3 g; K₂HPO₄: 0.3 g; MgCl₂·6H₂O: 0.2 g; CaCl₂

Wastewater treatment and H₂ production by electrocoagulation

The electrolysis of water is the simplest and most reliable method for mass production of H₂. However, it consumes tremendous amounts of electric energy for such electrolysis. Wastewater with high conductivity can solve the environmental problem of wastewater treatment and H₂ production. For example, HF wastewater treatment using electrocoagulation can generate H₂ as a reducing agent of CO₂ and remove fluoride in the water for discharge to a nearby river or reuse. In addition, it is an

Conclusions

The study introduces a biological methane conversion technology in which no secondary contamination can occur and that is more cost-effective than chemical conversion, which requires high temperature and pressure to reduce CO₂. The summary of our results is as follows.

1.
H₂ is produced without oxygen and more than 98% of fluoride is eliminated as a result of electrocoagulation by adjusting the pH to 3–4 after initially treating wastewater with a high concentration of fluoride and nitrogen from the

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International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Abstract

Highlights

Section snippets

1Introduction

Characteristics of HF wastewater

Hydrogenotrophs culture

Wastewater treatment and H₂ production by electrocoagulation

Conclusions

References (22)

Evaluation of the removal of CO₂ using membrane contactors: membrane wettability

J Membr Sci

Single cell protein production of Euglena gracilis and carbon dioxide fixation in an innovative photo-bioreactor

Bioresour Technol

Effects of pH conditions on the biological conversion of carbon dioxide to methane in a hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor (Hf-MBfR)

Desalination

Recent progress in alkaline water electrolysis for hydrogen production and applications

Prog Energ Combust

Ministry of environment

Carbon dioxide recovery from industrial processes

Clim Change

An evaluation of autotrophic microbes for the removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas streams

Fuel Process Technol

Photosynthetic performance of a helical tubular photobioreactor incorporating the cyanobacterium spirulina platensis

Biotechnol Bioeng

Biofixation of carbon dioxide by Spirulina sp. and Scenedesmus obliquus cultivated in a three-stage serial tubular photobioreactor

J Biotechnol

Conversion processes in anaerobic digestion

Wat Sci Technol

Cited by (69)

Strain-resolved metagenomics approaches applied to biogas upgrading

In-situ biogas enrichment using generated photovoltaic hydrogen

Bioconversion of H<inf>2</inf> and CO<inf>2</inf> from dark fermentation to methane: Effect of operating conditions on methane concentration

System perspective on cleaner technologies for renewable methane production and utilisation towards carbon neutrality: Principles, techno-economics, and carbon footprints

Advances in gas fermentation processes

Current status of biogas upgrading for direct biomethane use: A review

Reduction in carbon dioxide and production of methane by biological reaction in the electronics industry

Abstract

Highlights

Section snippets

1Introduction

Characteristics of HF wastewater

Hydrogenotrophs culture

Wastewater treatment and H2 production by electrocoagulation

Conclusions

J Membr Sci

Bioresour Technol

Desalination

Prog Energ Combust

Ministry of environment

Carbon dioxide recovery from industrial processes

Clim Change

An evaluation of autotrophic microbes for the removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas streams

Fuel Process Technol

Photosynthetic performance of a helical tubular photobioreactor incorporating the cyanobacterium spirulina platensis

Biotechnol Bioeng

Biofixation of carbon dioxide by Spirulina sp. and Scenedesmus obliquus cultivated in a three-stage serial tubular photobioreactor

J Biotechnol

Conversion processes in anaerobic digestion

Wat Sci Technol

Wastewater treatment and H₂ production by electrocoagulation