Abstract.
The application of seawater for bacterial fermentative production is a cost-effective technology. Hydrogen production by marine photosynthetic bacterium with seawater failed to continue after more than 10 days, and was accompanied by the formation of hydrogen sulfide and a change in culture color from red to black. However, substrate consumption in the blackish culture was comparable to that in a hydrogen-producing culture. A decrease in hydrogen production occurred upon the addition of sodium sulfide at concentrations of 1.5 mM or higher. PCR analysis targeted at the 16S rDNA sequence selective for sulfate-reducing bacteria revealed the existence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in inoculation cultures of the phototrophic bacterium and medium for hydrogen production. Hence, the high sulfate concentration of seawater, the low oxidation-reduction potential under hydrogen-producing conditions, and the presence of electron donors such as acetate might promote the metabolic activities of sulfate-reducing bacteria, resulting in the deterioration of hydrogen production with seawater.
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Received: 15 September 1999 / Accepted: 14 October 1999
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Maeda, I., Mizoguchi, T., Miura, Y. et al. Influence of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria on Outdoor Hydrogen Production by Photosynthetic Bacterium with Seawater. Curr Microbiol 40, 210–213 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002849910042
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002849910042