Characteristics of rapidly formed hydrogen‐producing granules and biofilms

The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of rapidly formed hydrogen‐producing granules and biofilms were evaluated in the present study. Microbial species composition was examined using the 16S rDNA‐based separation and sequencing techniques, and spatial distribution and internal structure of microbial components were evaluated by examining the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) images. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that a pure culture of <i>Clostridium pasteurianum</i>‐like bacterium (98% similarity) was found in microbial community of granules and biofilms. It is postulated that containing such a species favored the rapid immobilization of hydrogen‐producing culture. Manure granules and biofilms secreted 24–35 mg extracellulous proteins and 142–175 mg extracellulous polysaccharides in each gram of culture (in VSS). Such a high productivity of extracellulous polymers (ECP), a bio‐glue to facilitate cell‐to‐cell and/or cell‐to‐substratum interaction, may work as the driving forces for the immobilization of <i>C. pasteurianum</i>. As abundant proteins were noted in the granule cores, it can be derived that rapid formation of the hydrogen‐producing granules could be due to the establishment of precursor protein‐rich microbial nuclei. Biotechnol. Bioeng. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.