Table 1

Organism that produces hydrogen

Organism name
Organism description
Maximum Hydrogen evolution
Growth condition
H2 evolution
assay condition
Reference

Anabaena cylindrica B-629
Marine cyanobacteria
0.103 μmol/mg dry wt/h
Air contained 5% CO2; 7000 lx
at the surface of culture vessels
Argon environment with 3% CO2 4000 lx
at the surface of the culture vessel
9
Oscillatoria brevis B-1567
Marine cyanobacteria
0.168 μmol/mg dry wt/h
Air contained 5% CO2; 7000 lx at
the surface of culture vessels
Argon environment with 3% CO2 4000 lx at
the surface of the culture vessel
9
Calothrix scopulorum 1410/5
Marine cyanobacteria
0.128 μmol/mg dry wt/h
Air contained 5% CO2; 7000 lx at
the surface of culture vessels
Argon environment with 3% CO2 4000 lx at
the surface of the culture vessel
9
Calothrix membrnacea B-379
Marine cyanobacteria
0.108 μmol/mg dry wt/h
Air contained 5% CO2; 7000 lx at
the surface of culture vessels
Argon environment with 3% CO2 4000 lx at
the surface of the culture vessel
9
Oscillatoria sp. Miami BG7
Marine cyanobacteria
0.250 μmol/mg dry wt/h
Air; 100 μE/m2/s; NH4Cl
(25 mg/l) used as combined nitrogen source
Ar (100%); 90 μE/m2 11
day old cells 37°C
10
Oscillatoria limosa
Marine cyanobacteria
0.83 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; incubation in 16 h light,
8 h darkness cycles
Same as culture condition
11
Cyanothece 7822
Marine unicellular cyanobacteria
0.92 μmol/mg chl a/h
N2 with 5% CO2
Same as culture condition
12
Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
2.6 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena cylindrica IAMM-1
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
2.1 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena variabilis IAMM-58
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
4.2 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena cylindrica UTEX B 629
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
0.91 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena flos-aquae UTEX 1444
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
1.7 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena flos-aquae UTEX LB 2558
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
3.2 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaenopsis circularis IAM M-13
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
0.31 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Nostoc muscorum IAM M-14
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
0.60 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Nostoc linckia IAM M-30
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
0.17 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Nostoc commune IAM M-13
Heterocystous cyanobacteria
0.25 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 20 μE/m2/s
Air; 60 μE/m2/s
13
Anabaena variabilis AVM13
Heterocyst filamentous
68 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air and 1% CO2;
100 μE/m2/s

14
Anabaena variabilis PK84
Heterocyst filamentous
32.3 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air and 2% CO2; continuous tarbidostat
mode; 113 μE/m2/s
Argon environment.
15
Anabaena variabilis PK84
Heterocyst filamentous
167.6 μmol/mg chl a/h
73%Ar, 25%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
93%Ar, 5%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
16
Anabaena variabilis PK84
Heterocyst filamentous
0.11 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air and 2% CO2;
outdoor condition
Air and 2% CO2;
outdoor condition; 400 W/m2
17
Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413
Heterocyst filamentous
45.16 μmol/mg chl a/h
73%Ar, 25%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
93%Ar, 5%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
16
Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413
Heterocyst filamentous
0.05 μmol/mg dry wt/h
5000 lx at the surface
of culture vessels.
Ar and 5% CO2;
5000 lx addition of Tween 85 (77 mM)
18
Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413
Heterocyst filamentous
39.4 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air and 2% CO2; continuous
tarbidostat mode; 113 μE/m2/s
Argon environment
15
Anabaena variabilis 1403/4B
Heterocyst filamentous
20 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; 15 μE/m2/s
No gas phase; cells immobilized in hollow fiber;
25 μE/m2/s on the top surface
and 13 μE/m2/s on bottom surface of reactor
19
Anabaena azollae
Heterocyst filamentous
38.5 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air and 1% CO2;
100 μE/m2/s
Argon environment.
16
Anabaena variabilis PK17R
Heterocyst filamentous
59.18 μmol/mg chl a/h
73%Ar, 25%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
93%Ar, 5%N2, 2% CO2;
90 μE/m2/s
16
Anabaena variabilis SPU 003
Heterocyst filamentous cyanobacteria
5.58 nmol/mg dry wt/h
Air; incubation in 16 h light
(3000 lx light intensity),
8 h darkness cycles;
mannose used as carbon source.
Same as culture condition
20
Synechococcus PCC 6830
Non-nitrogen-fixing unicellular cyanobacteria
0.26 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol),
C2H2
(1.34 μmol); darkness.
21
Synechococcus PCC 602
Non-nitrogen-fixing unicellular
cyanobacteria
0.66 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol);
photon fluence rate was
20–30 μE/m2/s
21
Synechococcus PCC 6307
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.02 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar (100%) with photon fluence
rate 20–30 μE/m2/s
21
Synechoccus PCC 6301
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.09 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with C2H2 (1.34 μmol);
fluence rate was 20–30 μE/m2/s
21
Microcystis PCC 7820
non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.16 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate 20
μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol),
C2H2 (1.34 μmol);
photon fluence rate was 20–30 μE/m2/s
20
Gloebacter PCC 7421
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
1.38 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol),
C2H2 (1.34 μmol);
photon fluence rate was 20–30 μE/m2/s
20
Synechocystis PCC 6308
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.13 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol),
C2H2 (1.34 μmol);
photon fluence rate was 20–30 μE/m2/s
21
Synechocystis PCC 6714
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.07 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar with CO (13.4 μmol);
photon fluence rate was 20–30
μE/m2/s
21
Aphanocapsa montana
Non-nitrogen-fixing
unicellular cyanobacteria
0.40 μmol/mg chl a/h
Air; photon fluence rate
20 μE/m2/s
Ar (100%); photon fluence rate was
20–30 μE/m2/s
21
Gloeocapsa alpicola CALU 743
Unicellular non-diazotrophic
cyanobacteria
0.58 μmol/mg protein
Sulphur free 4% CO2;
25 μmol photons/m2/s
Same as culture condition
4
Chroococcidiopsis thermalis CALU 758
Unicellular non-nitrogen-fixing
0.7 μmol/mg chl a/h
Ar and1% CO2;
during 20 h.
Same as culture condition
22
Mycrocystis PCC 7806
Unicellular/colony
embedded in matrix
11.3 nmol/mg prot/h
Air; incubation in 16 h light,
8 h darkness cycles
Same as culture condition
23
Microcoleus chthonoplasts
Mat-building cyanobacteria
1.7 nmol/mg prot/h
Air; ferric ammonium citrate added
(46 μmol) 30 μE/m2/s
Same as culture condition
20

Dutta et al. Microbial Cell Factories 2005 4:36   doi:10.1186/1475-2859-4-36