PETR 71 |
| The levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are rising in our atmosphere. An economy and a transportation infrastructure based on molecular hydrogen and fuel cells could decrease our dependence on oil and the concomitant environmental consequences as well as positively affect energy security, while mitigating air pollution, and global climate change. Generation of molecular hydrogen as a biofuel, i.e. generation of hydrogen via photosynthetic algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) would allow for a cheap, renewable, and pollution free energy source. However, the enzyme responsible for hydrogen gas generation (hydrogenase) has a short half-life and is extremely sensitive to oxygen. One approach toward solving these problems is through directed evolution whereby mutations are introduced into the DNA of the native hydrogenase. At least five bacterial mutants produced hydrogen and of these, three increased by up to 4-fold over the parental hydrogenases. |
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2nd Symposium on Hydrogen from Renewable Sources and Refinery Applications
1:00 PM-4:40 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 223, Oral
Division of Petroleum Chemistry |