Enzymatic production of hydrogen from glucose

摘要

The objective of this research is to optimize conditions for the enzymatic production of hydrogen gas from biomass-derived glucose. This new project is funded at 0.5 PY level of effort for FY 1995. The rationale for the work is that cellulose is, potentially, a vast source of hydrogen and that enzymes offer a specific and efficient method for its extraction with minimal environmental impact. This work is related to the overall hydrogen program goal of technology development and validation. The approach is based on knowledge that glucose is oxidized by the NADP(sup +) requiring enzyme glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) and that the resulting NADPH can donate its electrons to hydrogenase (H(sub 2)ase) which catalyzes the evolution of H(sub 2). Thus hydrogen production from glucose was achieved using calf liver GDH and Pyrococcus furiosus H(sub 2)ase yielding 17% of theoretical maximum expected. The cofactor NADP(sup +) for this reaction was regenerated and recycled. Current and future work includes understanding the rate limiting steps of this process and the stabilization/immobilization of the enzymes for long term hydrogen production. Cooperative interactions with the Universities of Georgia and Bath for obtaining thermally stable enzymes are underway.