The microbial structure and kinetic characteristics of the hydrogen producing strains in two fermentative continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) were studied by controlling pH and oxidation and reduction potential (ORP). The fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) tests were conducted to investigate the fermentative performance of Clostridium histolyticum (C. histolyticum), Clostridium lituseburense (C. lituseburense) and Enterobacteriaceae. The experimental results showed that in ethanol-type reactor 1#, the relative abundance of the strains was 48%, 30% and 22%. Comparatively, the relative abundance in butyric acid-type reactor 2# was 24%, 55% and 19% with butyric acids and hydrogen as the main products. The kinetic results indicated that the hydrogen yield coefficients Y(P/X) in both reactors were 8.357 and 5.951 1-H(2)/g, while the coefficients of the cellular yield were 0.0268 and 0.0350 g-Cell/g, respectively. At the same biomass, the hydrogen yield in ethanol-type reactors was more than that in butyric acid reactors. However, the cellular synthesis rate in ethanol-type reactors was low when the same carbon source was used. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.