Hydrogen photoproduction by the synchronously grown marine unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Miami BG 043511 under extremely high oxygen concentration

The effect of exogenous oxygen on hydrogen photoproduction was examined in the synchronously grown cells of marine Synechococcus sp. Miami BG 043511 under conditions of high cell density (0.6-0.8 mg chl-${\alpha}$ $ml^{-1}$) and high light intensity (1000 ${\mu}$E $m^{-2}$ $s^{-1}$). Hydrogen evolution after 20-h incubation did not decline under the initial oxygen concentrations up to 20%, but declined by half under 34% oxygen. 50% and 100% oxygen gas phase did not completely inhibit the hydrogen photoproduction during 40-h incubations. After 2-day pretreatment under 100% exogenous oxygen the hydrogen photoproduction capabilities were not irreversibly inhibited, which was demonstrated in the subsequent 9-day incubation under initial 0, 50 and even under 100% oxygen gas phase. This strain could be useful for developing a hydrogen photoproduction system under atmospheric oxygen concentration.