Enhanced hydrogen production by controlling light intensity in sulfur-deprived Chlamydomonas reinhardtii culture

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a green alga that can use light energy to produce hydrogen from water under anaerobic conditions. This work reports the enhancement of hydrogen production by controlling the light intensity in sulfur-deprived anaerobic C. reinhardtii cultures. The overall hydrogen production was dependent on light intensity in the range of 60-200 μE m -2 s -1 . Maximum hydrogen production was obtained at a light intensity of 200 μE m -2 s -1 as a result of the rapid initiation of hydrogen production and the greatest increase of chlorophyll during the initial 24 h after sulfur deprivation. However, the hydrogen production was inhibited at an intensity of 300 mE m -2 s -1 of light owing to photosystem II photodamage by excess light. The maximum hydrogen production and the maximum specific production rate of hydrogen were 225 ml H 2 l -1 culture and 2.01 ml H 2 g -1 cells h -1 , respectively. Thus, hydrogen production by sulfur-deprived C. reinhardtii cultures can be maximized by controlling the light intensity at levels below saturation.

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