Application of Hemicellulose in Biohydrogen
Production
V. C. Akubude, V. C. Okafor, J. A. Oyedokun, O. O. Petinrin,
and K. N. Nwaigwe
Abstract
This chapter discusses the sources, the structure and the
characteristics of hemicellulose, methods of biohydrogen
production, pretreatment methods of lignocellulose material and the steps involved in the bioconversion of
hemicellulose to hydrogen gas. The depletion in fossil fuel
reserves, coupled with high dependency on its usage, tends
to create a crisis in energy around the globe. Moreover, the
rise in fuel price, along with the increasing demand
resulting from high population density, has led to more
research for alternative sources of energy. The environmental pollution (such as the emission of greenhouse gases
and ozone layer depletion) resulting from utilizing fossil
fuel and its related products is another source of concern to
the research community as it constitutes harm to mankind.
Hydrogen gas has a lot in stock for the global energy
demand, because of its high energy content. It is renewable
and eco-friendly. Hydrogen gas can be produced from
biological materials like hemicellulose.
Keywords
Hemicelluloses Á Biohydrogen Á Biophotolysis Á Dark
fermentation Á Photo fermentation Á Lignocellulosic
pretreatment
1 Introduction
Considering the detrimental effects of fossil fuel usage on the
environment and energy depletion, it is necessary to produce
clean-burning and renewable energy that can replace fossil
fuel energy sources (Cao et al. 2014). Bio-based economy is
a strategy employed to lower the environmental pollution the
world is facing currently from using fossil fuel products
(Farhat et al. 2017; Bugge et al. 2016). Products generated
from renewable resources represent a better option as
opposed to products based on depleting non-renewable
supplies, and allows a move toward enhanced energy security and less environmental effects (Jönsson et al. 2013)
through a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (Wu et al.
2013).
Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant raw materials for biohydrogen generation and its usage does not
compete with food production. It is the only renewable
energy source of carbon. Lignocellulosic biomass is made up
of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin as main components as
well as pectin, protein and minerals in small amounts (Zhou
et al. 2017). Hydrogen gas is the most promising energy of
the future that is generated from various resources and can
easily be stored. It is a clean carbon dioxide-free gas (Wu
et al. 2013). Also, it has the highest energy content when
compared with other gaseous fuels with a value of 122 kJ/g
and is 2.75 times higher than hydrocarbon fuels (Argun et al.
2008). It has been described as an energy carrier which does
not imply it being an energy source (IRENA 2018).
Bioconversion is the conversion of organic materials such
as plant or animal waste (usually referred to as biomass) into
usable products or energy sources by biological processes or
agents. Utilizing plant wastes as recycled feedstock is a
means for reducing the reliance on fossil oil (Delbecq et al.
2018; Aresta et al. 2012). Biomass is an important raw
material for the sustainable generation of bioenergy and
chemicals, with lignocellulosic biomass being the most
copious in supply. Lignocellulosic biomass plays a major
V. C. Akubude (&) Á V. C. Okafor
Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering, Federal
University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
e-mail: akubudevivianc@gmail.com
J. A. Oyedokun
Engineering and Scientific Services Department, National Centre
for Agricultural Mechanization, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
O. O. Petinrin
Department of Electrical and Electronic, Federal Polytechnic, Ede,
Osun State, Nigeria
K. N. Nwaigwe
Departmentof Mechanical Engineering, University of Botswana,
Gaborone, Botswana
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_19
315
Production
V. C. Akubude, V. C. Okafor, J. A. Oyedokun, O. O. Petinrin,
and K. N. Nwaigwe
Abstract
This chapter discusses the sources, the structure and the
characteristics of hemicellulose, methods of biohydrogen
production, pretreatment methods of lignocellulose material and the steps involved in the bioconversion of
hemicellulose to hydrogen gas. The depletion in fossil fuel
reserves, coupled with high dependency on its usage, tends
to create a crisis in energy around the globe. Moreover, the
rise in fuel price, along with the increasing demand
resulting from high population density, has led to more
research for alternative sources of energy. The environmental pollution (such as the emission of greenhouse gases
and ozone layer depletion) resulting from utilizing fossil
fuel and its related products is another source of concern to
the research community as it constitutes harm to mankind.
Hydrogen gas has a lot in stock for the global energy
demand, because of its high energy content. It is renewable
and eco-friendly. Hydrogen gas can be produced from
biological materials like hemicellulose.
Keywords
Hemicelluloses Á Biohydrogen Á Biophotolysis Á Dark
fermentation Á Photo fermentation Á Lignocellulosic
pretreatment
1 Introduction
Considering the detrimental effects of fossil fuel usage on the
environment and energy depletion, it is necessary to produce
clean-burning and renewable energy that can replace fossil
fuel energy sources (Cao et al. 2014). Bio-based economy is
a strategy employed to lower the environmental pollution the
world is facing currently from using fossil fuel products
(Farhat et al. 2017; Bugge et al. 2016). Products generated
from renewable resources represent a better option as
opposed to products based on depleting non-renewable
supplies, and allows a move toward enhanced energy security and less environmental effects (Jönsson et al. 2013)
through a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (Wu et al.
2013).
Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant raw materials for biohydrogen generation and its usage does not
compete with food production. It is the only renewable
energy source of carbon. Lignocellulosic biomass is made up
of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin as main components as
well as pectin, protein and minerals in small amounts (Zhou
et al. 2017). Hydrogen gas is the most promising energy of
the future that is generated from various resources and can
easily be stored. It is a clean carbon dioxide-free gas (Wu
et al. 2013). Also, it has the highest energy content when
compared with other gaseous fuels with a value of 122 kJ/g
and is 2.75 times higher than hydrocarbon fuels (Argun et al.
2008). It has been described as an energy carrier which does
not imply it being an energy source (IRENA 2018).
Bioconversion is the conversion of organic materials such
as plant or animal waste (usually referred to as biomass) into
usable products or energy sources by biological processes or
agents. Utilizing plant wastes as recycled feedstock is a
means for reducing the reliance on fossil oil (Delbecq et al.
2018; Aresta et al. 2012). Biomass is an important raw
material for the sustainable generation of bioenergy and
chemicals, with lignocellulosic biomass being the most
copious in supply. Lignocellulosic biomass plays a major
V. C. Akubude (&) Á V. C. Okafor
Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering, Federal
University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
e-mail: akubudevivianc@gmail.com
J. A. Oyedokun
Engineering and Scientific Services Department, National Centre
for Agricultural Mechanization, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
O. O. Petinrin
Department of Electrical and Electronic, Federal Polytechnic, Ede,
Osun State, Nigeria
K. N. Nwaigwe
Departmentof Mechanical Engineering, University of Botswana,
Gaborone, Botswana
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_19
315