. How do symbiotic bacteria use metabolic processes to produce biohydrogen from food waste?
Symbiotic bacteria that use metabolic processes to produce biohydrogen from food waste are usually anaerobic, which means they do not need oxygen. The metabolic process that occurs is known as dark fermentation, and there is also photofermentation which occurs in anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria.
Symbiotic bacteria are bacteria that share a mutualistic relationship with another organism, host, or bacteria. There are three types of relationships. Parasitic, commensal, and mutualistic. Parastic relationships are negative to the host. Commensal do not seem to affect the host in any way. Mutualistic relationships are those that are benefitial to the bacteria and the host. For example, a cow does not have the proper enzymes to break down cellulose in grass. However, the bacteria helps break down the cellulose and the cow obtains the nutrients, which is much needed in the production of milk. In return, the bacteria gets a suitable environment to live in and also receives the nurtients.
Anaerobic microorganisms are typically used for the production of biohydrogen. Some of these are Clostridium butyricum and
Clostridium acetobutyricum. These perticular microorganisms are known to be Clostridia species.
Biohydrogen, simply put, is hydrogen created from organic waste. The organic waste consumed by the symbiotic microorganisms goes through dark fermentation. This is a metabolic process that does NOT require light. Biohydrogen is a great fuel for many things, and what's most important about it is that it does not harm the environment. Water (H2O) is emitted when hydrogen is burned, and that is safe to the environment. However, to produce biohydrogen it is very costly and also emits the same pollutants the process tries to stop.
The food waste that biohydrogen can be made from has to be enriched in carbohydrates and proteins. Carbohydrates are great substrates in the anaerobic hydrogen production.