Optimization of photosynthetic hydrogen yield from platinized photosystem I complexes using response surface methodology

Light-dependent hydrogen production by platinized Photosystem I isolated from the cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The process parameters studied included temperature, light intensity and wavelength, and platinum salt concentration. Application of RSM generated a model that agrees well with the data for El, yield (R-2 = 0.99 and p < 0.001). Significant effects on the total H-2 yield were seen when the platinum salt concentration and temperature were varied during platinization. However, light intensity during platinization had a minimal effect on the total H-2 yield within the region studied. The values of the parameters used during the platinization that optimized the production of H-2 were light intensity of 240 mu E m(-2) s(-1), platinum salt concentration of 636 mu M and temperature of 31 degrees C. A subsequent validation experiment at the predicted conditions for optimal process yield gave the maximum H-2 yield measured in the study, which was 8.02 mu mol H-2 per mg chlorophyll. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.