Enterobacter ludwigii strain IF2SW-B4 isolated for bio-hydrogen production from rice bran and de-oiled rice bran

This research is aimed to study fermentative bio-hydrogen producing bacteria isolated from rice bran (RB) and de-oiled rice bran (DORB) wastes of oil extracting industry where RB used as renewable biomass. Therefore, the present research was carried out to isolate different bacterial species from RB and DORB wastes and their along with microscopic and biochemical characterization. Secondary screening was performed to analyse their efficiency of bio-hydrogen production (BHP) under optimum temperature of 37 ± 2 °C and at initial pH 6. Total 115 bacteria were isolated seasonally from RB and DORB wastes. Highest production of 545 ± 5 ml/l H2 bio-hydrogen was obtained in second season by RB II-6 was confirmed as Enterobacter ludwigii strain IF2SW-B4 based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Its specific hydrogen production rate (SHPR) is 3.29 ml/g substrate/h in 3rd day and 1.89 ml/g substrate/h after 6th day of BHP whereas DORB II-4 gave 295 ± 5 ml/l H2 production and SHPR of 1.82 ml/g substrate/h in 3rd day and 1.02 ml/g substrate/h in 6th day of production.