Biological hydrogen photoproduction
- Univ. of Miami, FL (United States)
Following are the major accomplishments of the 6th year`s study of biological hydrogen photoproduction which were supported by DOE/NREL. (1) We have been characterizing a biological hydrogen production system using synchronously growing aerobically nitrogen-fixing unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. Miami BG 043511. So far it was necessary to irradiate the cells to produce hydrogen. Under darkness they did not produce hydrogen. However, we found that, if the cells are incubated with oxygen, they produce hydrogen under the dark. Under 80% argon + 20% oxygen condition, the hydrogen production activity under the dark was about one third of that under the light + argon condition. (2) Also it was necessary so far to incubate the cells under argon atmosphere to produce hydrogen in this system. Argon treatment is very expensive and should be avoided in an actual hydrogen production system. We found that, if the cells are incubated at a high cell density and in a container with minimum headspace, it is not necessary to use argon for the hydrogen production. (3) Calcium ion was found to play an important role in the mechanisms of protection of nitrogenase from external oxygen. This will be a clue to understand the reason why the hydrogen production is so resistant to oxygen in this strain. (4) In this strain, sulfide can be used as electron donor for the hydrogen production. This result shows that waste water can be used for the hydrogen production system using this strain.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 183299
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-430-20036-Vol.2; CONF-9504160-VOL.2; ON: DE95009296; TRN: 95:008711-0011
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1995 DOE/NREL hydrogen program review, Coral Gables, FL (United States), 18-21 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 1995 US DOE hydrogen program review, Volume II; PB: 876 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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