Reverse micelles: a novel tool for H2 production

Reverse micelles serve as a novel tool to entrap enzymes and microbial whole cells within aqueous pockets and can be of great use in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the biological system. Photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides entrapped inside the aqueous pool of reverse micelles prepared from benzene-sodium lauryl sulphate exhibited 25-fold enhancement of H₂ photoproduction rate (1.67 ml H₂ mg protein]^–1 h^–1) compared to cells suspended in normal aqueous medium. Hydrogen photoproduction by the bacterium was catalysed by the nitrogenase enzyme system which was supported at a low light intensity of 12 Em^–2 sec^–1 photon flux energy at a wavelength of 520 nm. The optimum temperature for the process was 40 °C.