Hyper biohydrogen production from xylose and xylose-based hemicellulose biomass by the novel strain Clostridium sp. YD09

With increasing interest in biohydrogen as an alternative fuel to petroleum, it is essential to identify a hyper biohydrogen producer. In the present study, Clostridium sp. YD09 was isolated from a brewery wastewater upflow anaerobic sludge blanket digestion reactor; its 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing analysis showed 96 % similarity to Clostridium beijerinckii. Clostridium sp. YD09 produced the highest cumulative volume of hydrogen using xylose as the substrate (optimal concentration of 10 g/L) to obtain 1.21 mol H2/mol xylose. Furthermore, Clostridium sp. YD09 tolerates various inhibitors from pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass up to a 0.1 % concentration. A maximum yield of 1.62 mol H2/mol xylose and 1.98 mL H2/mL media with 38- to 48-fold increase was recorded in ligno-hemicellulose xylose treated with biochar and activated carbon. The newly isolated Clostridium sp. YD09 can therefore be used for efficient biohydrogen production from xylose-based substrates. •Clostridium sp. YD09 was isolated from brewery waste treatment UASB reactor.•it could tolerate various inhibitors from lignocellulosic biomass.•Activated carbon was used to enhance hydrogen production from lignocellulosic biomass.•Clostridium sp. YD09 could utilize successfully lignocellulosic biomass to produce hydrogen.•Yield of 1.62 mol H2/mol xylose and 1.98 mL H2/mL medium was obtained with YD09.