EFFICIENT HYDROGEN-PRODUCTION FROM STARCH BY A BACTERIUM ISOLATED FROM TERMITES

Clostridium beijerinckii AM21B strain was isolated from termites. AM21B respectively converted 10 g of glucose or starch to 2,450 ml or 2,255 ml of H-2, while the maximum evolution rate was 660 ml or 410 ml of H-2 per hour, respectively from 1 l of PY medium containing 10 g of glucose or starch, at pH 6.5. This H-2 production from starch by a non-photosynthetic bacterium appears to be the first report known to the authors.