Eco Tech: Tennessee researchers turn algae into sustainable source of hydrogen

blue green algae

Eco Factor: Algae used to produce steady supply of hydrogen when exposed to light.

While the world is looking for possible alternatives to fossil fuels, new findings from a team of researchers at the University of Tennessee might have an answer. The researchers have shown that the process of photosynthesis may function as a sustainable source of hydrogen.

The process can produce a steady supply of hydrogen without relying on the energy-intensive means to generate clean hydrogen. The team states that the inner machinery of photosynthesis can be used from certain algae and when coupled with platinum can be used to produce a steady supply of hydrogen, in the presence of light.

The team found that by starting with thermophilic blue-green algae, they could sustain the reaction at temperatures as high as 55 degrees C, which is roughly the temperature in arid deserts. Moreover, the process was more than 10 times more efficient as the temperature was increased.

Image Courtesy: Flickr [Under a Creative Commons license]

Via: Fars News Agency

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