Open AccessNovel Hydrogen Production Systems Operative at Thermodynamic Extremes
Author(s) -
Robert P. Gunsalus
Publication year - 2012
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/1057055
Subject(s) - biohydrogen , production (economics) , chemistry , limiting , hydrogen production , hydrogen , biochemical engineering , thermodynamics , computational biology , biochemistry , biology , physics , engineering , organic chemistry , economics , macroeconomics , mechanical engineering
We have employed a suite of molecular, bioinformatics, and biochemical tools to interrogate the thermodynamically limiting steps of H{sub 2} production from fatty acids in syntrophic communities. We also developed a new microbial model system that generates high H{sub 2} concentrations (over 17% of the gas phase) with high H{sub 2} yields of over 3 moles H{sub 2} per mole glucose. Lastly, a systems-based study of biohydrogen production in model anaerobic consortia was performed to begin identifying key regulated steps as a precursor to modeling co-metabolism. The results of these studies significantly expand our ability to predict and model systems for H{sub 2} production in novel anaerobes that are currently very poorly documented or understood