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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
Published on: December 3, 2019
Sustained photo-hydrogen production by Chlorella pyrenoidosa without sulfur depletion
Huanyu Wang1, Xiaolei Fan, Yanting Zhang
1Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, China.
Abstract:
The sustained production of H(2) by Chlorella pyrenoidosa was achieved without sulfur deficiency or PSII inhibition. C. pyrenoidosa preserved hydrogenase activity for several hours in the dark. Hydrogenase activity in vitro is O(2) sensitive, which indicates that respiration may play an important role in H(2) production. A sustainable production of H(2) was obtained for 200 h under illumination. Further, by using 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea as a PSII inhibitor, at least 70% electrons for H(2) production were generated from PSII-catalyzed-H(2)O oxidation. The remaining electrons were probably from endogenous substrate degradation.
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