H2 Production from Steel Mill Waste Gas using a Carboxydotrophic Hydrogenogen

Abstract

Hydrogenogenic CO oxidation (CO + H2O → CO2 + H2) has the potential for H2 production as a clean renewable fuel. Thermococcus onnurineus NA1, which grows on CO and produces H2, has a unique gene cluster encoding the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and the hydrogenase. MC01 mutant, with the gene cluster being placed under the control of a strong promoter, showed 30-fold higher transcription of the mRNA encoding CODH, hydrogenase, and Na+/H+ antiporter, and a 1.8-fold higher specific activity for CO-dependent H2 production compared to the wild type strain. The H2 production potential of the MC01 mutant in a bioreactor culture was 3.8-fold higher than that of the wild type strain. The engineered strain possessed high activity for the bioconversion of industrial waste gases created as a by-product during steel production. This work represents the first demonstration of H2 production from steel mill waste gas using a carboxydotrophic hydrogenogenic microbe.ydrogenase and the hydrogenase. MC01 mutant, with the gene cluster being placed under the control of a strong promoter, showed 30-fold higher transcription of the mRNA encoding CODH, hydrogenase, and Na+/H+ antiporter, and a 1.8-fold higher specific activity for CO-dependent H2 production compared to the wild type strain. The H2 production potential of the MC01 mutant in a bioreactor culture was 3.8-fold higher than that of the wild type strain. The engineered strain possessed high activity for the bioconversion of industrial waste gases created as a by-product during steel production. This work represents the first demonstration of H2 production from steel mill waste gas using a carboxydotrophic hydrogenogenic microbe.