Effects of fermentation conditions on hydrogen production by fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterial strain B49

The effects of glucose concentration, inoculation volume, temperature, nitrogen source and various organic substrates on hydrogen production by a novel fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterial strain B49 (AF481148 in EMBL) were investigated in batch fermentation experiments. The inoculation volume could affect hydrogen production. The favorable temperature for cell growth and hydrogen production is 35°C. B49 could produce hydrogen using organic nitrogen source only. Glucose is the best substrate producing hydrogen for B49. Glucose consumption and hydrogen yield with 10 g/L glucose are 100% and 1.69 mol H₂/mol glucose, respectively. In addition, B49 could generate hydrogen from other organic substrates such as wheat, soybean, corn, potato, molasses and brewage wastewater. Hydrogen yields from molasses wastewater and brewage wastewater were 137.9 ml H₂/g COD and 49.9 ml H₂/g COD, respectively.