Characterization and optimization of hydrogen production by a salt water blue-green alga oscillatoria sp. Miami BG 7. II. use of immobilization for enhancement of hydrogen production

The technique of cellular immobilization was applied to the process of hydrogen photoproduction of non-heterocystous, filamentous marine blue-green alga, Oscillatoria sp. Miami BG 7. Immobilization with agar significantly improved the rate and longevity of hydrogen production, compared to free cell suspensions. Rates of H 2 production in excess of 13 μl H 2 mg dry wt −1 h −1 were observed and hydrogen production was sustained for three weeks. Immobilization also provided some stabilization to environmental variability and was adaptable to outdoor light conditions. In general, immobilization provides significant advantages for the production and maintenance of hydrogen photoproduction for this strain.