Biological production of $H_2$ from glucose by the chemoheterotropic facultative bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris P4

RhodopseudolllOllas palustris P4 was studied for $H_2$ production from glucose in batch culture. Important conditions studied include phosphate concentration, initial pH, temperature, glucose concentration, and gas-phase replacement. Optimal $H_2$ production was observed at 60 - 300 mM of phosphate and 7.8 - 8.6 of initial pH. The effect of culture temperature was negligible When glucose concentration increased from 0.1 to 5% (w/v), $H_2$ production increased up to 2% and remained constant thereafter. Intermittent purging of the reaction botlle with Ar gas stimulated the Hl production by alleviating the inhibition by $H_2$. The maximum productivity was 111.1 ml $H_2$/h-1.