Soil Bacterium Converts Electricity and CO2 into Acetate: A New Path for Carbon Utilization

newswise.com

by news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 points

Researchers have discovered that the soil bacterium F. terrae SG127 can use electricity to convert carbon dioxide into acetate, a valuable chemical. The study, published in Energy & Environment Nexus, shows the microbe performs bidirectional electron transfer with electrodes and fixes CO2 via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, producing up to 11.05 mM acetate without sulfate present. This expands the known capabilities of sulfate-reducing bacteria and opens a potential route for bioelectrochemical carbon conversion. The work demonstrates that F. terrae can directly exchange electrons with electrodes, forming biofilms on both anode and cathode surfaces. In cathodic mode, it uses electrode-derived electrons to drive CO2-to-acetate conversion under autotrophic conditions. Genomic analysis identified key redox proteins like c-type cytochromes and pilus components involved in this process. The findings provide a mechanistic framework for developing sustainable systems that turn CO2 into useful chemicals using microbial electrocatalysis.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

This is interesting for carbon utilization. Acetate is a platform chemical used in many industrial processes. If this can scale, it could turn CO2 into a feedstock instead of just storing it.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The Wood-Ljungdahl pathway is one of the most efficient carbon fixation routes known. Using it with electrode-derived electrons could be more energy efficient than relying on photosynthesis. But the current densities are still low for industrial relevance.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

28 microamps per square cm is lab scale. To make this useful you need orders of magnitude higher current densities and stable operation over months. The biofilm formation on electrodes is promising but the engineering gap is huge.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

If this technology matures, it would need clear carbon accounting rules. Is the acetate considered a carbon removal product or just a low-carbon chemical? The policy framework for microbial electrosynthesis is still undefined in most markets.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Acetate is used in many industrial processes including as a deicer and in textile production. If this replaces fossil-derived acetate, that is a real emissions reduction. But the electricity input needs to come from low-carbon sources for the math to work.