What is hydrogen-rich water?
Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) is ordinary water containing dissolved molecular hydrogen (H₂). Nothing is chemically added to the water; the measurable difference is the dissolved H₂ concentration, normally expressed in parts per billion (ppb) or mg/L.
- Hydrogen-rich water — liquid water with dissolved molecular H₂.
- H₂ gas — molecular hydrogen in gaseous form, not dissolved in a water stream.
- HHO / oxyhydrogen — a mixed hydrogen and oxygen gas produced together, typically by alkaline electrolysis.
- Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) — a chemically different compound and not hydrogen-rich water.
Background reading: what is hydrogen-rich water and PEM electrolysis explained.
Why is hydrogen-rich water being investigated for plants?
Published studies have investigated hydrogen-rich water in relation to a defined set of plant-science areas. These are research areas under investigation, not established outcomes for commercial production:
- plant growth
- photosynthetic performance
- antioxidant systems
- oxidative stress
- drought stress
- salinity stress
- root development
- crop quality
The detailed scientific review of this literature — study designs, concentrations and reported findings — is maintained on our industrial research site.
Read the scientific research on hydrogen-rich water and greenhouse irrigation →
Hydrogenation equipment for greenhouse irrigation trials
The practical engineering challenge is not simply producing hydrogen gas. It is delivering a measured dissolved-H₂ concentration into irrigation water, at the flow rate the site actually uses, close enough to the point of application that the concentration is still present at the root zone.
Parameters that matter in a trial design include:
- dissolved H₂ concentration
- water flow
- treatment capacity
- residence time
- water temperature
- irrigation volume
- point of hydrogenation
- distance between hydrogenation and root zone
- storage and recirculation
- water chemistry
Because dissolved hydrogen can leave solution over time, hydrogen-rich water applications should consider where hydrogenation occurs relative to the irrigation point.
Each transfer stage between hydrogenation and the root zone is an opportunity for dissolved H₂ to leave solution, which is why concentration should be measured at the point of application.
HERO Bath — PEM hydrogenation system
The HERO Bath is a commercially available PEM hydrogenation system. The specifications below are the figures published on its product page.
| Electrolysis type | PEM (proton exchange membrane) |
|---|---|
| Output | Hydrogen-rich water |
| Published water throughput | 3,750 ml/min (3.75 L/min) |
| Published dissolved hydrogen | >2,000 ppb |
| Hydrogen purity | 99.991% |
| Input power | 100–240 V · 50–60 Hz |
| Water tank | 3 L (distilled water recommended, TDS < 30) |
| Format | Portable benchtop — no plumbing |
The HERO Bath is designed as a hydrogen bathing system rather than a dedicated greenhouse irrigation machine. However, its PEM hydrogenation architecture makes it potentially useful as a commercially available starting point for small-scale controlled investigations of hydrogen-rich water.
We make no claim that the HERO Bath has been tested, validated or certified for agricultural or irrigation use. See the HERO Bath product page for the confirmed specification, or the broader agricultural research overview.
From pilot trial to commercial greenhouse system
A realistic development pathway moves from a measured pilot to an engineered system, rather than scaling an appliance specification upward:
A commercial greenhouse system would need to be sized from the actual irrigation water demand rather than from the nominal output of a consumer hydrogen-water appliance.
How much hydrogenation capacity does a greenhouse need?
There is no universal figure, and any number quoted without site data should be treated as marketing rather than engineering. Sizing depends on:
- hectares under cultivation
- crop
- irrigation method
- litres per plant per day
- plant density
- irrigation frequency
- peak irrigation flow
- reservoir size
- desired dissolved-H₂ concentration
- continuous versus batch treatment
Example calculation framework
Required hydrogenation capacity = irrigation water volume requiring treatment ÷ available treatment time
This is a framing device for a first conversation, not a final engineering design. Real sizing also has to account for measured concentration decay between the hydrogenation point and the root zone.
Point-of-use hydrogenation vs reservoir treatment
| Approach | Potential advantage | Engineering consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Point-of-use hydrogenation | Minimises storage time between hydrogenation and the root zone | Requires adequate instantaneous hydrogenation capacity at peak irrigation flow |
| Reservoir treatment | Simpler central treatment of a known water volume | Dissolved H₂ may decline during storage before the water is applied |
| Recirculating treatment | Can maintain treatment while water circulates | Requires system-specific engineering and ongoing measurement |
In all three approaches the actual dissolved-H₂ concentration at the point of application should be measured rather than assumed from the generator's rated output.
Greenhouse crops being investigated in published research
Published research has investigated hydrogen-rich water in several horticultural crops, including:
- tomatoes
- cucumbers
- lettuce
- other horticultural and greenhouse crops
Reported results are crop-, cultivar- and treatment-dependent, and cannot be generalised across species, growing systems or hydrogen concentrations. The study-level detail is set out in the research review: Scientific research: Hydrogen-Rich Water for Greenhouse Irrigation.
Discuss a pilot evaluation
If you are evaluating hydrogen-rich water for a greenhouse or research trial, we can talk through equipment options, published specifications and what a measured pilot would need to establish before any larger system is considered.
- HERO Bath hydrogenation system
- How PEM electrolysis works
- Hydrogenated water for agriculture — research overview
- Hydrogenated water for aquaculture
- Contact the team
Informational content for horticultural and research audiences. Not agronomic advice. Hydrogen-rich water is an emerging research area; any application in a commercial growing operation requires site-specific validation.