Producción de Biohidrógeno a Partir de Residuos Sólidos Orgánicos del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito con Fines de Aprovechamiento Energético

Abstract

Organic solid waste (OSW) is an abundant yet underutilized resource in the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ) that has significant potential for energy recovery through dark fermentation. This study evaluated the theoretical hydrogen production potential of local OSW using a method that integrated physicochemical characterization, 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis, functional inference with PICRUSt2, and process simulation with SuperPro Designer. Physicochemical and typological analyses revealed a high proportion of fermentable carbohydrates, particularly from fruits and vegetables, as well as a near-neutral pH and an elevated organic load (COD). These are all favorable conditions for anaerobic fermentative processes. Metataxonomic profiling showed that microbial communities were dominated by the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota, including the genera Clostridium, Enterobacter, and Bacillus, which are widely recognized as hydrogen producers. Functional prediction identified enzymes associated with essential fermentative pathways, including hydrogenases and pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase, confirming the presence of metabolic routes compatible with hydrogen generation. Additionally, process simulation quantified the energetic potential under ideal operating conditions: 25.81 kg of 100% pure hydrogen per batch in the dedicated recovery stream. This value considers the combined effects of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation, providing a realistic estimate of performance in pilot-scale scenarios. The results demonstrate that OSW from the DMQ has biochemical composition, native microbial communities, and functional enzymatic potential necessary for hydrogen resource. They also establish the technical foundation for future experimental validation, optimization of pretreatment strategies, kinetic modeling, and industrial-scale implementation.