PHOTOPRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM THE WASTE-WATER OF A DISTILLERY BY RHODOBACTER-SPHAEROIDES OU 001

Waste water from a distillery was used as the electron donor for photo production of hydrogen by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U. 001. Hydrogen p roduction by free cells was observed only at 5 and 10% waste water (di luted with tap water) yielding a maximum of 500-mu-l H-2 (in 144 h) at 10% concentration. Calcium alginate immobilization of cells enhanced hydrogen photoproduction two-three fold and hydrogen evolution was obs erved after varying lag periods at all the concentrations of waste wat er tested. Semicontinuous culturing of R. sphaeroides was demonstrated in a 3.61 photobioreactor harvesting 11 of culture every day amountin g to 2 g dry wt. Hydrogen production was demonstrated for 12 days usin g immobilized cells with 10% waste water in a 3.61 photobioreactor und er light/dark cycles.