Sergey M. Abramov, Elmira R. Sadraddinova, Andrey I. Shestakov, Oleg G. Voronin, Arkadiy A. Karyakin, Nikolay A. Zorin, Alexander I. Netrusov

Hydrogen-producing thermophilic cellulolytic microorganisms were isolated from cow faeces. Rates of cellulose hydrolysis and hydrogen formation were 0.2 mM L(-1) h(-1) and 1 mM L(-1) h(-1), respectively. An enzymatic fuel cell (EFC) with a hydrogenase anode was used to oxidise hydrogen produced in a microbial bioreactor. The hydrogenase electrode was exposed for 38 days (912 h) to a thermophilic fermentation medium. The hydrogenase activity remaining after continuous operation under load was 73% of the initial value.