Bioenergetics of lactate vs. acetate outside TCA enhanced the hydrogen evolution levels in two newly isolated strains of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas.

Two local hydrogen-evolving strains of purple nonsulfur bacteria have been isolated, characterized, and identified as Rhodopseudomonas sp. TUT (strains Rh1 and Rh2). Lactate followed by succinate and malate supported the highest amounts of H2 production, growth (O.D.660nm, proteins and bacteriochlorphyll contents), nitrogenase activity, and uptake hydrogenase; the least of which was acetate. Alginate-immobilized cells evolved higher hydrogen amounts than free cell counterparts. Rh1 was more productive than Rh2 at all circumstances. Lactate-dependent hydrogen evolution was more than twice that of acetate, due to ATP productivity (2/-1, respectively), which is limiting to the nitrogenase activity. The preference of lactate over other acids indicates the feasibility of using these two strains in hydrogen production from dairy wastewater.