Promoting R & D in Photobiological Hydrogen Production Utilizing Mariculture-Raised Cyanobacteria

• Published in: Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 128 - 145
• Main Authors: Sakurai, Hidehiro, Masukawa, Hajime
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States New York : Springer-Verlag 01.03.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Aquaculture; Climate; Conservation of Energy Resources; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - enzymology; Cyanobacteria - physiology; Energy conversion; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Genetic engineering; Genetic Engineering - trends; hydrogen; Hydrogen - metabolism; Hydrogen production; International cooperation; mariculture; Marine; Marine aquaculture; nitrogenase; Oxidoreductases - metabolism; photobiological H₂ production; Photobiology - methods; Photobiology - trends; Renewable energy; Solar Energy
• ISSN: 1436-2228; 1436-2236
• DOI: 10.1007/s10126-006-6073-x

This review article explores the potential of using mariculture-raised cyanobacteria as solar energy converters of hydrogen (H₂). The exploitation of the sea surface for large-scale renewable energy production and the reasons for selecting the economical, nitrogenase-based systems of cyanobacteria for H₂ production, are described in terms of societal benefits. Reports of cyanobacterial photobiological H₂ production are summarized with respect to specific activity, efficiency of solar energy conversion, and maximum H₂ concentration attainable. The need for further improvements in biological parameters such as low-light saturation properties, sustainability of H₂ production, and so forth, and the means to overcome these difficulties through the identification of promising wild-type strains followed by optimization of the selected strains using genetic engineering are also discussed. Finally, a possible mechanism for the development of economical large-scale mariculture operations in conjunction with international cooperation and social acceptance is outlined.