Improved hydrogen photoproduction from photosynthetic bacteria and green algae

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5818816· OSTI ID:5818816

Weaver, P. F.; Lien, S.; Seibert, M.

Photosynthetic bacteria evolve hydrogen at much higher rates than do other classes of photosynthetic microorganisms. In addition, they tolerate harsh environments, grow rapidly, and utilize both visible and near infrared light in photosynthesis. They do not split water, but this does not necessarily eliminate their potential use in future applied systems. They are easily manipulated genetically, and thus might be modified to metabolize common biomass waste materials in place of expensive defined organic substrates. Furthermore, the potential for increasing hydrogen photoproduction via genetic techniques is promising. Strains that partially degrade cellulose, have high photoproduction rates, or contain very large amounts of the enzymes associated with hydrogen metabolism have been isolated. Green algae also produce hydrogen but are capable of using water as a substrate. For example, C. reinhardi can evolve hydrogen and oxygen at a molar ratio approaching 2:1. Based upon effect of dichlorophenyl dimethylurea (a specific inhibitor of photosystem II, PSII) on hydrogen photoproduction in the wild type strain and upon results obtained with PSII mutants, one can demonstrate that water is the major source of electrons for hydrogen production. The potential efficiency of in vivo coupling between hydrogenase and the photosynthetic electron transport system is high. Up to 76% of the reductants generated by the electron transport system can be channeled directly to the enzyme for in vivo hydrogen production. Rates exceeding 170 ..mu..moles of H/sub 2/ mg Chl/sup -1/ hr/sup -1/ have been observed.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• OSTI ID: 5818816
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-33-409
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
14 SOLAR ENERGY
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
BIOPHOTOLYSIS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
ALGAE
CHLAMYDOMONAS
HYDROGENASE
PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA
RHODOPSEUDOMONAS
WATER
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONVERSION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENZYMES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
PLANTS
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
AQUATIC SPECIES PROGRAM
GREEN ALGAE
HYDROGEN
080106* - Hydrogen- Production- Biosynthesis & Photochemical Processes
140505 - Solar Energy Conversion- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion- (1980-)