- The bacterium "Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans” was discovered in Soap Lake, Washington. It can produce hydrogen under saline and alkaline conditions in amounts that rival genetically modified organisms.
- With "Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans," she expected to find an iron-reducing bacterium and describe a new species. What she found was a new species of bacterium that can produce hydrogen and 1, 3-propanediol under high pH and salinity conditions that might turn out to be valuable industrially.
- The infrastructure isn't in place now for hydrogen to replace gasoline as a fuel for planes, trains and automobiles. But if hydrogen becomes an alternative to gasoline, "Halanaerobium hydrogeniformans," mass-produced on an industrial scale, might be one solution – although it won't be a solution anytime soon.
Team finds hydrogen production in extreme bacterium
2. 2. 15 by Alex Klokus