Characterization of hydrogen photoevolution in Oscillatoria chalybea detected by means of mass spectrometry

Abstract

The filamentous non-heterocystous cyanobacterium Oscillatoria chalybea is capable to photoevolve molecular hydrogen when the cells are flushed to anaerobiosis with nitrogen or argon and exposed to short light flashes or continuous light. The light-induced hydrogen gas exchange of Oscillatoria chalybea has been investigated by direct determination of dynamic changes in the hydrogen partial pressure at m/e=2 in the H/D collector of a mass spectrometric set-up. By means of this technique also the time curves of the light-induced hydrogen gas exchange could be directly recorded. Depending on the chlorophyll concentration in the measuring cell we observed an increasing hydrogen content of the aqueous Oscillatoria suspension i.e. a dark evolution of molecular hydrogen. Upon the onset of light an initial rise of the H2-signal was observed which was increasingly mixed or followed by a hydrogen uptake. The capability to photoevolve molecular hydrogen was maximal with young cultures and decreased with increasing age. The hydrogen evolution signals require relatively short dark adaptation to get pronounced; few seconds suffice for 2/3 of the hydrogen evolution amplitude. Prolonged dark adaptation maximizes the flash amplitudes. The hydrogen evolution signals do not deactivate by low flash frequency. Oscillatoria chalybea evolves molecular hydrogen following growth on nitrogen free or nitrate containing medium. Increase of the oxygen partial pressure of the assays completely abolishes the hydrogen evolution signals with an I50-value of 6 μM.