Photoproduction of hydrogen from water in hydrogenase-containing algae
Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella vulgaris cells had active hydrogenase after dark anaerobic adaptation. Illumination of these algae with visible light led to an initial production of small quantities of hydrogen gas which soon ceased owing to production of oxygen by photolysis of water. The presence of oxygen-absorbing systems in a separate chamber, not in contact with the algae, gave only a slight stimulation of hydrogen production. Addition of sodium dithionite directly to the algae led to an extensive light-dependent production of hydrogen. This stimulation was due to oxygen removal by dithionite and not to its serving as an electron donor. 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, an inhibitor of photosystem II, abolished all hydrogen photoproduction. Hydrogen evolution was not accompanied by CO/sub 2/ production and little difference was noted between autotrophically and heterotrophically grown cells. Hydrogen was not produced in a photosystem II mutant of Scenedesmus even in the presence of dithionite, establishing that water was the source of hydrogen via photosystems II and I. Hydrogen production was stimulated by the presence of glucose and glucose oxidase as an oxygen-absorbing system. Oxygen inhibited hydrogen photoproduction, even if oxygen was undetectable in the gas phase, if the algal solution did not contain an oxygen absorber. It was demonstrated that under these conditions hydrogenase was still active and the inability to produce hydrogen was probably due to oxidation of the coupling electron carrier. 7 figures, 1 table.
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 5088190
- Journal Information:
- Arch. Biochem. Biophys.; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Biochem. Biophys.; (United States) Vol. 194:2; ISSN ABBIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
080106* -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Biosynthesis & Photochemical Processes
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
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550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALDEHYDES
ALGAE
BASIC INTERACTIONS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOPHOTOLYSIS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORELLA
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
GLUCOSE
HEXOSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
HYDROGENASE
INTERACTIONS
MICROORGANISMS
MONOSACCHARIDES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
PHOTOPRODUCTION
PLANTS
SACCHARIDES
SCENEDESMUS
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
WATER