in the following formulas in the case of eu as the exhausted photo oxidant oxidized reagent m ox sup z 1 spsp the solution containing the reduced photo oxidation cation eu is then returned to the photo oxidation reactor 10 for the next light cycle of h 2 production by opening valves 24 and 22 and pumping the solution through manifold conduit 25 from photo reduction reactor 12 into reactor 10 the oxidized supported photo reduction reagent catalyst u2550 mncl may be washed with water by opening valves 24 and 30 while valve 22 is closed and pumping water from supply 32 into photo reduction reactor 12 these washings can then be transferred to photo oxidation reactor 10 as makeup water for the next cycle the photo reduction reaction is preferably operated at an initial ph of about 7 with a bifunctional reagent catalyst containing u2550 m red x where x is cl br i f or cn highly dispersed on a fibrous glass mat catalyst the surface of which destroys oh radicals or their adducts e g cloh very efficiently the metal and semimetallic halides can be covalently bonded to the glass surface by reaction of a metal halide with a partially dehydroxylated glass surface under anhydrous conditions after heating the glass fiber.