Abstract
A stoichiometric study was performed on an autotrophic culture using a bacterium which is capable of growing on gaseous hydrogen and carbon dioxide as the sole energy and carbon source.
The following stoichiometric equation was put forward on the bases of elemental analysis of bacterial cells, determination of gases consumed, production of bacterial cells and total pressure drop in culture flasks for the chemoautotrophic formation of bacterial cells from hydrogen and carbon dioxide,
38.7 H2+4.1 CO2+14.8 O2+0.78 NH4+=C4.10 H6.99 O1.73 N0.78+35.9 H2O
The average yield factor based on hydrogen was calculated as about 1.29 and the efficiency of energy conversion was estimated to be approximately 22.4%
