Ferric oxide nanoparticles (FONPs) were used to facilitate dark hydrogen fermentation using Enterobacter aerogenes . The hydrogen yield of glucose increased from 164.5 ± 2.29 to 192.4 ± 1.14 mL/g when FONPs concentration increased from 0 to 200 mg/L. SEM images of E. aerogenes demonstrated the existence of bacterial nanowire among cells, suggesting FONPs served as electron conduits to enhance electron transfer. TEM showed cellular internalization of FONPs, indicating hydrogenase synthesis and activity was potentially promoted due to the released iron element. When further increasing FONPs concentration to 400 mg/L, the hydrogen yield of glucose decreased to 147.2 ± 2.54 mL/g. Soluble metabolic products revealed FONPs enhanced acetate pathway of hydrogen production, but weakened ethanol pathway. This shift of metabolic pathways allowed more nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for reducing proton to hydrogen.
The massive consumption of primary energy sources has exacerbated the global energy crisis and environmental degradation, making the development of renewable alternatives imperative. Hydrogen energy, as a clean and renewable secondary energy source, offers a promising alternative. Among various strategies for sustainable hydrogen production, solar-driven whole-cell microbial biohydrogen synthesis stands out as a highly attractive approach. Here, we constructed a light-driven intracellular inorganic-biological hybrid system to boost hydrogen production. Specifically, the incorporation of C 3 N 4 quantum dots (QDs) into Enterobacter aerogenes enhanced photo-induced electron separation and transfer, achieving a hydrogen yield of 8.6 mL in a 25 mL reactor within 3 h, which is 52.3 % increase over the bacterial-only system. This work provides valuable insights into integrating the light-harvesting properties of inorganic nanomaterials with the metabolic machinery of microorganisms for efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversions.
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）