Microaerobic hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria in a double-phase photobioreactor

✍ Scribed by Tadashi Matsunaga; Tomoyuki Hatano; Akiyo Yamada; Mitsufumi Matsumoto

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 142 KB
• Volume: 68
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3592
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0290(20000620)68:6<647::aid-bit7>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

The rate of hydrogen production by the marine nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodovulum sp., increased with increasing light intensity. A light intensity of 1800 W/m 2 hydrogen production rate was achieved at the rate of 9.4 µmol/mg dry weight/h. The hydrogen production of this strain was enhanced by the addition of a small amount of oxygen (12 µmol O 2 /reactor). Intracellular ATP content was most efficiently accumulated under microaerobic, dark conditions. Hydrogen production rate by Rhodovulum sp. was investigated using a doublephase photobioreactor consisting of light and dark compartments. This rate was compared with data obtained using a conventional photobioreactor. Rhodovulum sp. produced hydrogen at a rate of 0.38 ± 0.03 µmol/mg dry weight/h under microaerobic conditions using the double-phase photobioreactor. The hydrogen production rate was four times greater under microaerobic conditions, as compared with anaerobic conditions using either type of photobioreactor. Hydrogen production using a double-phase photobioreactor was demonstrated continuously at the same rate for 150 h.