Response surface methodology for process parameter optimization of hydrogen yield by the metabolically engineered strain Escherichia coli DJT135

Metabolically engineered microbial strains can be usefully employed to give higher yields, but this also requires development of a suitable bioprocess. Maximization of product yield during fermentation requires that a number of process parameters, some of which may interact, be optimized. Here we report the effects of different fermentative process conditions; pH, temperature and glucose concentration, on the molar hydrogen yield by a genetically optimized Escherichia coli strain, DJT135. In order to simultaneously reduce the number of the experiments, and to obtain the interactions between the variables important for achieving maximum hydrogen production, a 3K full factorial Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology (RSM) were employed for experimental design and analysis. A maximum molar hydrogen yield of 1.69 mol H2 mol−1 glucose was obtained under the optimal conditions of 75 mM glucose, 35 °C and pH 6.5. Thus, RSM with Box–Behnken design is a useful method for achieving higher molar hydrogen yields by metabolically engineered organisms.