Effect of molasses on hydrogen production by a new strain Rhodoplanes piscinae 51ATA

Abstract

The production of hydrogen using microorganisms is an environment-friendly and less energy-intensive way of producing hydrogen. Rhodoplanes piscinae is a photosynthetic bacterium with the ability of hydrogen production under photosynthetic conditions. In this study, a new strain 51ATA was isolated from Lake Akkaya, Nigde, Turkey that is exposed to some industrial effluent charges. The new strain was identified as R. piscinae by phylogenetic analysis of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence. The quality of molasses as a substrate for hydrogen production was evaluated by comparing it with other substrates, such as glucose and acetate. Five different culture media of various concentrations (1.0 g/L, 2.0 g/L, 5.0 g/L, 10 g/L, and 20 g/L) for each substrate were used. Results have shown that molasses was the best substrate for the biohydrogen production. The highest amount of biohydrogen obtained from each (20 g/L) substrate was (1.27 L H 2 /L from molasses-containing culture), (0.72 L H 2 /L from glucose-containing culture), and acetate-containing culture (0.21 L H 2 /L) respectively. From these results, we could conclude that R.piscinae 51ATA strain is as good as the other bacterial species used for hydrogen production and may be considered as a high potential strain for hydrogen production when used in combination with molasses under phototrophic conditions. • A new photosynthetic bacterial strain 51ATA of Rhodoplanes piscinae was observed hydrogen production. • Molasses was determined the best co-substrate for R.piscinae compared to acetate and glucose in hydrogen production. • As a co substrate, acetate promoted biomass production not hydrogen production.