System for hydrogen production under limited aerobic conditions

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for fermentative hydrogen production under limited aerobic conditions by utilizing the respiratory interaction between a strictly anaerobic hydrogen producing bacterium, E. harbinense YUAN-3, and a facultative anaerobic bacterium, P. aeruginosa PAO1. The two bacteria are co-cultured to produce hydrogen gas in a culture medium without any anaerobic treatment. Sucrose, lactose or glucose are used as the carbon source for the co-culture which can promote the growth of E. harbinense YUAN-3 and reduce substrate competition between two bacteria. L-cysteine is added to increase the hydrogen yield and the production rate. Using 15 g/L glucose and 5 mmol/L L-cysteine, the invented method achieved the hydrogen production yield of 1.11 mol-hydrogen/mol-glucose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.