[Hydrogen production from glucose by Acetanaerobacterium elongatum]

Studying the possible factors affecting hydrogen production from glucose by Acetanaerobacterium elongatum, an acetateethanol fermenting anaerobe isolated from sludge of wastewater of a papermill. The results revealed that the maximum hydrogen production could be achieved in PYG liquid at 37 degrees C and initial pH 8.0. The strain produced more hydrogen from glucose and arabiose, with the hydrogen yields of 1.55 mol H2/mol glucose and 1.50 mol H2/mol arabiose, respectively. pH and hydrogen partial pressure were the most severe inhibitors in hydrogen production from glucose, by controlling the broth at neutral pH during the fermentation period could increase hydrogen yield twice, concomitantly glucose consumption for 2.8 times. Hydrogen was another inhibitor for fermentative H2 production, and removing hydrogen by cultivating Acetanaerobacterium elongatum Z7 with a H2-trophic methanogen resulted in higher deduced H2 production for about 4 times. Yeast extract stimulated H2 production by stains Z7. Coculturing A. elongatum Z7 and P. acetatigenes TB107, a proteineous-trophic bacterium, increased the conversion of the glucose and thereby increased the H2 production on peptone. Moreover, acetate when at higher concentration ( > 60 mmol/L) in the medium inhibited the hydrogen production by strain Z7.