Light energy utilization and microbial catalysis for enhanced biohydrogen: Ternary coupling system of triethanolamine-mediated Fe@C-Rhodobacter sphaeroides

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2024-06, Vol.401, p.130733-130733, Article 130733
• Main Authors: Jiang, Qiushi, Li, Yanjing, Wang, Minmin, Cao, Wen, Yang, Xueying, Zhang, Sihu, Guo, Liejin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial photosynthetic system; Carbon; Catalysis; Electron trapping agent; Ethanolamines - chemistry; Ethanolamines - metabolism; Fermentation; Hydrogen - metabolism; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrothermal carbon; Iron - chemistry; Light; Photo-fermentation; Photosynthesis; Rhodobacter sphaeroides - metabolism
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130733

[Display omitted] •1. UV–vis responsive Fe@C additives promote hydrogen production in photofermentation.•Introduction of TEOA in Fe@C hydrogen photofermentation system increased by 129%.•Dynamic regulation of fermentation environment and metabolites of R. sphaeroides.•Rapid electron transfer and microenvironment pH stability in ternary systems. This study investigated the mediating effect of Triethanolamine on Fe@C-Rhodobacter sphaeroides hybrid photosynthetic system to achieve efficient biohydrogen production. The biocompatible Fe@C generates excited electrons upon exposure to light, releasing ferrum for nitrogenase synthesis, and regulating the pH of the fermentation environment. Triethanolamine was introduced to optimize the electron transfer chain, thereby improving system stability, prolonging electron lifespan, and facilitating ferrum corrosion. This, in turn, stimulated the lactic acid synthetic metabolic pathway of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, resulting in increased reducing power in the biohybrid system. The ternary coupling system was analyzed through the regulation of concentration, initial pH, and light intensity. The system achieved the highest total H2 production of 5410.9 mL/L, 1.29 times higher than the control (2360.5 mL/L). This research provides a valuable strategy for constructing ferrum-carbon-based composite-cellular biohybrid systems for photo-fermentation H2 production.