Biohydrogen production by the hyperthermophilic and halophilic bacterium T. maritima, using fruit and vegetable wastes as the carbon and energy sources was studied. Batch fermentation cultures showed that the use of a culture medium containing natural seawater and fruit and vegetable wastes can replace certain components (CaCl, MgCl, Balch's oligo-elements, yeast extract, KHPO and KHPO) present in basal medium. However, a source of nitrogen and sulfur remained necessary for biohydrogen production. When fruit and vegetable waste collected from a wholesale market landfill was used, no decreases in total H production (139 mmol L) or H yield (3.46 mol mol) was observed.

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