This article reports on low-temperature steam reforming and water-gas shift processes to generate hydrogen efficiently when water is passed through microwave-heated activated carbon (AC) particulates, in contrast to conventional steam reforming that is not particularly efficient at temperatures around 600 °C. The microwave-driven method performed efficiently at this temperature producing hydrogen with yields of 70% or more, as a result of the microscopic local microwave heating of the AC particulates. To the extent that the activated carbon is produced from plant biomass-related raw materials, the carbon dioxide produced is carbon neutral. Conditions for hydrogen generation were optimized with regard to the size of the AC particles, the water flow rate, and the size of the reactor. For practical applications of this microwave-based method, hydrogen was also generated efficiently with yields of 75-80% when using spent activated carbons (large size distribution) and model contaminated wastewaters and artificial seawater; significant energy was saved under the conditions used. The re-use of spent ACs eliminates the need for their disposal after being used in water and sewage treatments. In addition, the presence of any organic matter in wastewaters is also a likely effective source of hydrogen (yields, 75-85%). And not least, although generation of hydrogen from seawater is a difficult electrolytic process, the microwave method proved to be an attractive and efficient technology toward hydrogen generation from seawater with yields of 85 to 90%. Addition of Pt deposits on the activated carbon support, however, provided no advantages over pristine AC particulates.
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