Possibilities of biological energy production.

From the numerous possibilities of biological solar energy transduction the production of hydrogen was selected in our laboratory. There are two forms of H2 production: from biomass with enzymes (formate-hydrogen lyase and hydrogenase enzymes) and the exploitation of some living systems or their analogs to evolve H2 from water upon solar irradiation. To approach the first problem, a bacterial strain and a hydrogenase (H2ase) enzyme of good parameters were isolated. The system composed produced H2 from biomass with an energetic efficiency of 10-12 per cent. Dealing with the second task, by changing some environmental factors we succeeded to increase by a factor of 15 the quantity of H2 produced by Anabeana cylindrica from water in light. It is clear from these studies that further research is needed to understand better the mechanism and regulation of biological H2 production. The aim of this research is to utilize it as an economically feasible and environmentally harmless energy source.