OICC Press International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering 2251-6832 11 1 (March 2020) 2019 11 16 Plastic bags as simple photobioreactors for cyanobacterial hydrogen production outdoors in Moscow region 10.1007/s40095-019-00325-0 EN Evgeny Shastik Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, RU Anastasiya Romanova Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, RU Tatyana Laurinavichene Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, RU Ekaterina Petushkova Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, RU Hidehiro Sakurai Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Kanagawa University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, 259-1293, JP Anatoly Tsygankov Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, RU Journal Article 2019 11 16 Abstract The application of transparent plastic bags with a gas barrier layer as inexpensive photobioreactors for H 2 production by the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 ∆Hup mutant cells was explored outdoors in Moscow region for the first time. Two experiments were performed in July and August, the average daily temperature being 21.7 and 20.6 °C, the average daily light intensity being 290 and 340 µmol photon m −2  s −1 in experiment #1 and #2, respectively. The maximal H 2 production rate was 20.6 mL day −1  L −1 of culture, with accumulation of 33.2 mL L −1 during 5 days and a final H 2 content of 1.1% (v/v). Molecular nitrogen added to the Ar gas at 3.3% significantly affected neither the rate nor the duration of H 2 production. Low morning temperatures as well as high daytime light intensities (especially at low cell concentrations) seemed to reduce the H 2 production rate. The activities obtained were lower as compared to the previously reported data. It could be attributable to suboptimal weather conditions and simple device arrangement. However, results prove that H 2 production by cyanobacteria is still feasible outdoors in plastic bags, the cheapest photobioreactors.