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Enhancement of Photo-Fermentative Hydrogen Production with Co-culture of Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodospirillum rubrum by Using Medium Renewal Strategy

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Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant deal of interest in the photo-fermentation-based synthesis of biological hydrogen due to its unique advantages, such as high hydrogen yield and the use of renewable raw materials as substrates. This paper assesses biological hydrogen production by photo-fermentation using the purple non-sulfur bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodospirillum rubrum cultivated in Rhodobacter capsulatus V minimal (RCV) medium. Lactose was used as a carbon source at a starting concentration of 10 g/L. An investigation of the use Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodospirillum rubrum strains in mixed culture confirmed the viability of the use of a co-culture system in detriment of mono-culture systems. On average, co-cultured hydrogen responses resulted in 1.43- and 1.50-fold increases in hydrogen productivity and yield, respectively, between the two species. The experiments were also conducted in a 1.5-L stirred tank reactor using repeated batch cycles, with or without medium renewal. The medium renewal allowed for the removal of organic acids produced by cellular metabolism and ensured stable and long-term hydrogen production, reaching peak productivity 278.05 mmol H2/L/day and maximum yield 19.67 mol H2/mol lactose (82% of the theoretical yield). For comparative purposes, a subsequent assay was carried out in the same initial conditions without medium renewal. An accumulation of organic acids resulted in lower peak productivity of 104.47 mmol H2/L/day and lower peak hydrogen yield of 11.71 mol H2/mol lactose confirming viability of medium renewal strategy to improve hydrogen production in photo-fermentation.

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Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge Brazilian Agencies National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Research Supporting Foundation of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and Vale S. A. for financial support.

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  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila 2121, Santa Mônica, Uberlândia, 38408-144, MG, Brazil

    Gustavo Machado Tottoli Ferreira, Felipe Santos Moreira, Vicelma Luiz Cardoso & Fabiana Regina Xavier Batista

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Ferreira, G.M.T., Moreira, F.S., Cardoso, V.L. et al. Enhancement of Photo-Fermentative Hydrogen Production with Co-culture of Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodospirillum rubrum by Using Medium Renewal Strategy. Bioenerg. Res. 16, 1816–1828 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-022-10550-x

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