Photometabolic production of hydrogen from organic substrates [cellulose and wood sawdust] by free and immobilized mixed cultures of Rhodospirillum rubrum and Klebsiella pneumoniae

A culture of R. rubrum cells apparently contaminated with K. pneumoniae were immobilized by entrapment in agar. This system was used as model for hydrogen production by photometabolic means. Observed results indicated that the contaminant exerted a major influence on the observed results. This preparation, when immobilized and used in a specifically designed reactor with glucose substrate, showed operational half‐lives of approximately 1000 hr. The feasibility of using this “mixed” culture for producing hydrogen from acid hydrolyzed cellulose and wood sawdust was also examined.