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Selective inhibitors for continuous non‐axenic hydrogen production by Rhodobacter capsulatus
Author(s) -
Liessens J.,
Verstraete W.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1986.tb01728.x
Subject(s) - rhodobacter , axenic , phototroph , rhodospirillaceae , rhodospirillales , bacteria , algae , chemistry , hydrogen production , biology , botany , food science , photosynthesis , biochemistry , hydrogen , organic chemistry , genetics , mutant , gene
To produce H 2 continuously by photosynthetically grown Rhodobacter capsulatus in non‐axenic anaerobic reactors, the interaction between the phototroph and possible contaminants was studied and the ecological competitiveness of the Rhodobacter spp. in nitrogen‐limited conditions was determined. Experimental test runs showed that blue‐green and green algae, sulphate‐reducing, acetogenic and methanogenic bacteria significantly interfere with the net amounts of H 2 produced by photobacteria. Therefore, inhibitors to control the growth of those contaminants selectively were screened. By applying a combination of chloroxuron (10mg/l) and cycloheximide (10mg/l) against algae, isohumulones (30 bitterunits/l) and molyb‐date (0.5g/l) against sulphate‐reducing bacteria and isohumulones and chloroform (10 mg/l) against acetogens and methanogens, photoreactors could be operated in a non‐axenic way and continued to produce hydrogen gas at rates depending on the feed quality varying from 333 to 676 ml H 2 l reactor/d, for a period of 116d without apparent interference from other microbial contaminants. These findings have a considerable potential for facilitating the isolation of organo‐phototrophs and the production of H 2 by these bacteria.