Revolutionary discovery: Clean hydrogen from microbes!

Revolutionary discovery: Clean hydrogen from microbes!

On May 9, 2025, researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum reported groundbreaking progress in hydrogen production. Microorganisms, specifically through the enzyme [FeFe] hydrogenase, produce hydrogen in the absence of air. This enzyme is considered an efficient biocatalyst for the production of green hydrogen. Until now, its use was limited by the rapid destruction of the enzyme when it comes into contact with oxygen. Thanks to the new findings, scientists were able to isolate a type of oxygen-stable [FeFe] hydrogenase and uncover the mechanisms of oxygen stability, which were published in the Journal of American Chemical Society.

The study not only deals with biocatalysis, but also sheds light on the role of archaea in hydrogen production. These microorganisms, which form one of the three large groups of living organisms alongside bacteria and eukaryotes, obtain energy through special enzymes. These are able to convert and produce hydrogen, which allows archaea to survive in extreme environments, such as science.de describes.

Climate-neutral hydrogen production

Hydrogen is increasingly seen as the key to emission-free energy supply. However, to produce climate-neutral hydrogen, renewable energy sources without CO2 emissions are required. The Christian Albrechts University in Kiel has developed an innovative way to produce green hydrogen, reports renewableenergies.de.

Kirstin Gutekunst's team is investigating a cyanobacterium that produces hydrogen through photosynthesis. Normally, this bacterium immediately uses up the hydrogen it produces. However, by modifying the hydrogenase, the process could be optimized so that the cyanobacterium produces hydrogen over a longer period of time without consuming it again.

The research team's innovative strength is reflected in the redirection of electrons from the photosynthesis process, which are traditionally used for sugar metabolism. The modified hydrogenase now uses protons and electrons to produce hydrogen, resulting in a significant increase in hydrogen production. In contrast to previous approaches, this new process could potentially work indefinitely because the cyanobacteria's metabolism repairs and replicates the hydrogenase-photosystem fusion over the long term.

One of the challenges remains the inactivation of hydrogenase in the presence of oxygen. To counteract this, scientists switched the cyanobacteria to anoxygenic photosynthesis. In the long term, this step in particular could enable the exclusive use of electrons from water splitting for hydrogen production.