The Philippine Agricultural Mechanization Journal is published quarterly by the Agricultural Mechanization Development Program, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Banos

The Philippine Agricultural Mechanization Journal is a non-refereed journal which aims to serve as a national venue for the dissemination of information on recent research and development in the field of agricultural mechanization, agricultural engineering and related fields.

Microbial Production of Hydrogen Gas From Jatropha curcas Seed Cake

Jhomar D. Getizo, Jovita L. Movillon, Laura J. Pham, Pham Binh Chay and Butch G. Bataller

ABSTRACT

Parametric and optimization studies were performed in order to determine the effects of Jatropha curcas seed cake concentration ( 20, 30, 40g/L medium), temperature (30, 37, 45C) and initial pH (5.5, 6.5, 7.5) on the microbial hydrogen production by Enterobacter aerogenes 1764. Twelve randomly selected parameter combinations were performed and results of hydrogen evolution (mL/L medium), cell biomass concentration (g/L), total sugar concentration (g/L) and final pH were obtained.

Using Response Surface Analysis, regression models for the four responses were obtained. Quadratic models were chosen in order to predict the effects of the three parameters on the responses. Using the numerical optimization method, the desirable treatment combination that will produce the maximum amount of hydrogen is 26.97 g/L Jatropha curcas seed cake concentration, 39.66C, initial pH 5.5 producing 3.0691 mL hydrogen per L medium with 83.4% desirability.

Keywords: hydrogen, fermentation, Jatropha curcas seed cake

B.S. Chemical Engineering Graduate, Professor, Affiliate Asst. Professor, Adjunct Professor, Instructor, Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines.

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The Managing Editor

AMDP, IAE, CEAT

University of the Philippines Los Banos

College, Laguna 4031 Philippines

e-mail address: mariavictorialarona@yahoo.com