Measurement methods of carbohydrates in dark fermentative hydrogen production- A review

Abstract The purpose of the present study is to review the methods of carbohydrates determination in the dark fermentative hydrogen production process. The measurement of carbohydrates in dark fermentation was carried out with techniques of chromatographic (high-performance liquid chromatography, ion chromatography, and gas chromatography), colorimetric (phenol-sulfuric acid, dinitrosalicylic acid, anthrone-sulfuric acid, l -tryptophan-sulfuric and boric acid, and P-hydroxyphenyl), enzymatic (GOD-PAP enzymatic or glucose oxidase method, and commercial assay kit), electrophoretic (capillary electrophoresis), iodometric (starch-iodide), and COD index. The method of carbohydrates measuring must be accurate, inexpensive, safe, and simple to use. The advantages and shortcomings of these techniques are presented and their application in dark fermentative hydrogen production is studied. Literature survey shows that the colorimetric assay followed by the chromatographic technique was extensively employed to determine the concentration of carbohydrates in dark fermentation.