Green process for hydrogen production from cellulose derivative using visible light-harvesting function of Mg chlorophyll-a

Abstract

A green process for hydrogen production, coupling hydrolysis of cellulose derivative, methylcellulose (MC_n) with different average molecular weights of 15 000, 21 000, 26 000, 41 000, 63 000 and 86 000, by cellulase and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) and hydrogen production with platinum colloid as a catalyst using the visible light-harvesting function of Mg chlorophyll-a (Mg Chl-a) from Spilurina, has been developed. When the sample solution containing MC_n, cellulase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), GDH, Mg Chl-a, methylviologen (MV²⁺, an electron carrier reagent) and platinum colloid is irradiated, continuous hydrogen production is observed with irradiation time. For all systems using MC_n, the amount of hydrogen production is more than 10 µmol after 4 h irradiation. Hydrogen production is not affected by the polymerization degree of MC_n.