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In the near future our cars, trains and planes could be powered by hydrogen produced by bacteria that survives in the most extreme conditions on Earth.

Scientists 'accidentally' discovered a bacterium under conditions of extremely high saline and alkaline levels.

These conditions, in theory, could be replicated in an industrial setting to produce the biofuel on a large scale.

Biological scientists have discovered a bacterium, known as Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans (pictured) that produces hydrogen under high saline and alkaline conditions. These conditions, in theory, could be replicated in industrial settings to produce the biohydrogen fuel on an large scale

Dr Melanie Mormile, professor of biological sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology discovered the bacterium Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans in Soap Lake, Washington.

It is termed as extreme bacterium, or an 'extremophile' - a microorganism that lives in conditions of extreme temperature, acidity, alkalinity or chemical concentration.

During tests, the researchers found that the bacterium produces hydrogen under saline and alkaline conditions in amounts that rival genetically modified organisms.

The bacterium also produced an organic compound known as 1, 3-propenediol.

This compound can be used in industrial products including adhesives, laminates and coatings. 

Itis also a solvent and can be used as antifreeze.

Living in such a hostile environment, Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans is said to have 'metabolic capabilities' under similar conditions seen at some contaminated waste sites.

The work builds on Dr Mormile's previous research into the bacterium from 2012.

Hydrogen has a very high energy density, three times that of petrol or diesel, and it produces water as a byproduct.

It can also be used in fuel cells that are said to be twice as efficient as combustion engines.

Hydrogen isn't an energy source in its own right, however. 

Instead, it carries energy from other types of renewable sources including the sun and the wind, as well as water.

In particular, hydrogen produced by living organisms is called biohydrogen and is similar to bio-diesel or bio-gas.

Biofuels can be taken from food crops, known as 'first generation biofuels', waste, known as 'second generation', and microbes, referred to as 'third' or 'advanced' generation biofuels.

Biohydrogen is an example of an advanced biofuel, and it is already be taken from algae and bacteria, for example. 

Experts from Missouri University of Science and Technology discovered the bacterium Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans in Soap Lake, Washington (marked). The bacterium also produced an organic compound known as 1, 3-propenediol used in industrial products, and can be used as antifreeze

Hydrogen has a higher energy density than petrol or diesel. It is also used in fuel cells (pictured), that are twice as efficient as combustion engines

Extracting third-generation biofuels is beneficial because it doesn't impact on food production, or costs, and is said to be around 10 times more efficient as capturing sunlight compared to 'second-generation' waste.

This means that smaller areas of land are needed to produce the same amount of fuel.

The discovery of the biohydrogen produced by Halanaerobium hydrogeninformans was made by accident while studying extremophiles found in Soap Lake, Washington.

Dr Mormile said she became interested in bacteria in the region because of its potential to clean up the environment.

In particular, Dr Mormile expected to find an iron-reducing bacterium and describe a new species.

Instead, she found this species that can produce hydrogen and 1, 3-propanediol under high pH and salinity conditions that might turn out to be valuable industrially.

'Usually, I tend to study the overall microbial ecology of extreme environments, but this particular bacterium has caught my attention,' Dr Mormile said. 'I intend to study this isolate in greater detail.'

'It would be great if we got liters and liters of production of hydrogen.

'However, we have not been able to scale up yet.'

The infrastructure isn't currently in place for hydrogen to replace gasoline, but, continued Dr Mormile, if hydrogen becomes an alternative to gasoline, Halanaerobium hydrogeniformans, mass-produced on an industrial scale, could be a viable solution.

The findings are published in Frontiers in Microbiology.