Biohydrogen production using photosynthesis

광합성을 이용한 바이오수소 생산

  • 심상준 (성균관대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 김준표 (성균관대학교 화학공학과)
  • Published : 2006.06.22

Abstract

Energy is vital to global prosperity, yet dependence on fossil fuels as our primary energy source contributes to global climate change environmental degradation, and health problems. Hydrogen $(H_2)$ offers tremendous potential as a clean renewable energy currency. Hydrogen has the highest gravimetric energy density of any known fuel and is compatible with electrochemical and combustion processes for energy conversion without producing carbon-based emission that contribute to environmental pollution and climate change. Numerous methodologies have been developed for effective hydrogen production. Among them, the biological hydrogen production has gained attention, because hydrogen can be produced by cellular metabolismunder the presence of water and sunlight. The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is capable of sustained $H_2$ photoproduction when grown under sulfur deprived condition. Under sulfur deprived conditions, PSII and photosynthetic $O_2$ evolution are inactivated, resulting in shift from aerobic to anaerobic condition in the culture. After anaerobiosis, sulfur deprived algal cells induce a reversible hydrogenase and start to evolve $H_2$ gas in the light. According to above principle, we investigated the effect of induction parameters such as cell age, cell density. light intensity, and sulfate concentration under sulfur deprived condition We also developed continuous hydrogen production system by sulfate re-addition under sulfur deprived condition.

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