Reversible Hydrogen Electrode Application as Indicator Electrode for Real Time Kinetic Study of Microbial H₂ Production

Abstract

The Reversible Hydrogen Electrode (RHE) potential depends on the pH and the H2 pressure which determines the disolved hydrogen concentration according to the Henry law. RHE was applied as hydrogen sensor for real time bacterial hydrogen production rate evaluation employing the photosynthetic Rodobacter Capsulatus strain IR3 in 10 ml reactor containing RCV medium. The reliable determination of the produced H2 volume for determination of the process rate requires big reactor volumes since the H2 production rate is small, measured in mL/hour and the precise measurements of small gas volumes is very complicated. The RHE potential monitoring however allows real time determination of the generated H2 and hence the process rate without consumption of great reagent amounts.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1149/1.3557879

Journal

ECS Transactions

Year

2011