Exposing C.reinhardtii to
Anaerobic Atmospheric
Conditions to Enhance
Hydrogen Production
Christina George
Period 0,1 Even
Need
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/co2_atmosphere.jpg
Need
http://www.tspusa.com/images/TICimages/alternativefuels1.gif
Knowledge Base

Anaerobic
Conditions:
the absence of
oxygen
http://www.ilmvac.co.uk/content/products/Anaerobic-container-p112555-01.html
Knowledge Base

Sulfur Deprivation: Growing the algae in Sulfurreplete medium or Sulfur-free medium
http://www.enasco.com/prod/images/products/8A/VC128314l.jpg
Knowledge Base
C.reinahrdtii

http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2009/03
/090324171556-large.jpg
Autotrophic organism
that produces hydrogen
in sulfur deprived
anaerobic conditions
Knowledge Base
Light intensities
v. the CO2
exchange when
measured by
the
photosynthetic
rate
http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/lectsupl/Light/p54f1.gif
Isoamylase

Important enzyme for
starch accumulation
which is important for
hydrogen production
(Posewitz, 2005).
http://www.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/genomes/date/1bf2.gif
Literature Review

Rosenbaum, Miriam (2005)
‘Utilizing the Green Alga C.reinhardtii for
Microbial Electricity Generation”
•Direct electricity generation from microbial photosynthetic activity
•Oxidative depletion of hydrogen, photosynthetically produced by
C.reinahrdtii under sulfur deprived conditions, by polymer coated electro
catalytic electrodes
Literature Review

Melis, Anastasios (2000)
“Sustained Photobiological Hydrogen Gas
Production upon Reversible Inactivation of
oxygen Evolution in C.reinhardtii”
•As sulfur
deprivation
increases, so
does the
hydrogen
production
Literature Review

Posewitz, Matthew C. (2004)
“Hydrogen Photoproduction is Attenuated by
Disruption of an Isoamylase Gene in
C.reinhardtii”
•Time represents
the anaerobic
induction time
•CC425=C.reinhardtii
Literature Review

Logan, Bruce E. (2006)
“Using Algae and other Biomass for Hydrogen
Production in a Modified Microbial Fuel Cell”
•A small voltage was applied (.25 V) to the algae, which generated pure
hydrogen gas at the cathode
Purpose

Therefore, the purpose of this experiment is to
find the optimal duration of anaerobic exposure
needed to optimize C.reinhardtii hydrogen
production
Hypotheses

Alternate: A long period of anaerobic conditions
will increase the hydrogen production

Null: The duration and frequency of anaerobic
conditions will have no effect on the amount of
hydrogen produced
Exposing C.reinhardtii to Anaerobic Atmospheric Conditions to
Enhance Hydrogen Production
Problem: What is the optimal duration of anaerobic exposure
needed to optimize C.reinhardtii hydrogen production?
Control
Groups:
The Algae
growth
medium,
Temperatur
e, and light
intensity
Control group of
algae will be
grown in the
airlift bioreactor
(700 ml) with
no anaerobic or
sulfur deprived
conditions
.5 hours of
anaerobic
atmospher
ic
conditions
Independent
Variable: Growth
of C.reinhardtii and
hydrogen produced
(original
concentration
700mL)
3 hours of
anaerobic
atmospheri
c
conditions
Dependent
Variable:
Carbon dioxide
levels, pH
levels
6 hours of
anaerobic
atmospheric
conditions
Algae will be grown in designated duration of
anaerobic time in an anaerobic container, and
will be fertilized with sulfur deprived growth
medium (100 mL).
-Carbon dioxide concentration measured using a
Pasco GLX Xplorer
-pH levels measured using pH paper
-growth of C.reinhardtii measured using a
Spectrophotometer
-The hydrogen gas produced will be
measured using an H2Scan
hydrogen detector.
-A fluorometer will be used to
measure the photosynthetic rate.
All data will statistically analyzed by SPSS,
by an ANOVA followed by a Sheffe Post Hoc
Test. Data will then be put in line graphs.
Do Ability

C.reinhardtii: Can be grown in the lab as done in
previous years

Anaerobic container can be purchased

A hydrogen sensor will be difficult to find at a
low cost
Budget
Vendor
Order #
Quantit
y
Description
Price
Carolina Biological
152040
2
C.reinhardtii
9.50 (ea)
Carolina Biological
153752
2
algae fertilizer
16.85 (ea)
Ilmavc
112555-01
1
anaerobic container
Warehouse Lighting
WS-110344
1
flourescent light
CYTO-Airlift
1
bioreactor
A.W. Sperry
1
photometer
1
timer
fishsupply.com
slnt-sdt02
Aturner Designs
NEODYM
Total
price
19
33.7
99.99
99.99
19.99
19.99
169.99
169.99
Fluorometer
HK-GH-A080C-W50A-O5-R1-S1-E2-I2-P1-J1-Z0
1
Hydrogen Sensor
Work Cited
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Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. "Carbon Dioxide Transformed Into Methanol."
ScienceDaily 17 April 2009. 23 April 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090416102247.htm>.
**“Algae Could One Day Be Major Hydrogen Fuel Source.” Science Daily. April 2, 2008.
American Chemical Society. "'Ice That Burns' May Yield Clean, Sustainable Bridge To Global Energy Future." ScienceDaily
24 March 2009. 23 April 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/03/090323143858.htm>.
Basque Research. "Obtaining Bio-gas From Food Industry Waste." ScienceDaily 31 March 2009. 7 May 2009
<http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/03/090331101105.htm>.
**Chisti, Yusuf. “Biodiesel from Microalgae.” Biotechnology Advances. Vol. 25, Pgs. 294-306. February 13, 2007.
CNRS. "Renewable Energies: The Promise Of Organic Solar Cells." ScienceDaily 10 April 2009. 7 May 2009
<http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090409151444.htm>.
DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory. "New Hope For Biomass Fuels: Breaking The Ties That Bind." ScienceDaily 29 April
2009. 3 May 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090422121904.htm>.
**Fouchard, Swanny. "Autotrophic and Mixotrophic Hydrogen Photoproduction in Sulfur Deprived C.Reinhardtii." Applied
and Enviornmental Microbiology 71 (2005): 6199-6205. 16 May 2008
<http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1265920&blobtype=pdf>
**Kim Pyo, Jun; et al. “Enhancing hydrogen production by controlling light intensity in sulfur-deprived Chlamydomonas
reinhardtii culture.” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. Vol.31, Pgs. 1585-1590., September 2006.
**Najafpour, G. "Continuous Hydrogen Production via Fermentation of Synthesis Gas." Petroleum and Coal 45 (2003):
154-158. 12 May 2008 <http://www.vurup.sk/pc/vol45_2003/issue3-4/pdf/14.pdf>.
National Institute of Standards and Technology. "Discovery Of An Unexpected Boost For Solar Water-splitting Cells."
ScienceDaily 26 April 2009. 3 May 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090423105853.htm>.
Natural Environment Research Council. "Plants Absorb More Carbon Dioxide Under Polluted Hazy Skies." ScienceDaily 23
April 2009. 23 April 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090422132829.htm>.
Weizmann Institute of Science. "New Way To Split Water Into Hydrogen And Oxygen Developed." ScienceDaily 8 April
2009. 23 April 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090406102555.htm>.
**(articles used from last years study)