Biohydrogen production behavior of moderately thermophile Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum W16 under different gas-phase conditions

In biohydrogen producing processes, cumulative gaseous end products can cause negative effects on hydrogen production. This study investigated inhibitory effects of hydrogen and carbon dioxide on biohydrogen production behavior of moderately thermophile Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum W16 with glucose or xylose as the carbon source. Experimental results indicated that high hydrogen partial pressure largely decreased the hydrogen yield by 16.9% and 18.8% for glucose and xylose respectively (from 2.07 to 1.72 mol H2/mol glucose and from 1.80 to 1.46 mol H2/mol xylose). Under high carbon dioxide partial pressure, the hydrogen yield was slightly dropped by 6.8% and 5.6% to 1.93 mol H2/mol glucose and 1.70 mol H2/mol xylose respectively. H2 production rate, cell growth, and liquid end components were also affected by varied gaseous components, which led to the shifts of metabolic pathways and corresponding NADH flows due to gaseous feedback inhibition. Transcription levels of functional [FeFe] hydrogenases, which were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), performed corresponding susceptibilities under high hydrogen and carbon dioxide partial pressures.

► High H2 partial pressure largely decreased H2 yield of the strain W16.
► H2 yield of the strain W16 slightly dropped under high CO2 partial pressure.
► Cell growth and liquid end products were affected by different gaseous components.
► [FeFe] hydrogenases performed corresponding susceptibilities with high pH2 and pCO2.