Microbes could become key allies in global efforts to curb carbon emissions and avoid dangerous climate change. A group of microbes called chemolithoautotrophs consume CO2 through their natural metabolism, spitting out small organic molecules as a byproduct. These microbes could be enlisted to convert industrial CO2 emissions into valuable chemicals, thanks to a new concept developed by Pascal Saikaly and his team at KAUST.
[...] To harness chemolithoautotroph capabilities for recycling CO2 emissions into useful chemicals, researchers supply electrons to the microbes in a process called microbial electrosynthesis (MES). Typically, MES reactors have grown chemolithoautotrophs on a submerged flat-sheet cathode and bubbled CO2 gas into the solution, but this setup has two key limitations, explains Manal Alqahtani, also a Ph.D student in the team. Flat-sheet cathodes are difficult to scale up and CO2 gas has poor solubility.
The team developed an alternative MES reactor using cathodes made from stackable, cylindrical porous nickel fibers that Saikaly's group had previously applied to recover water and energy from wastewater. CO2 is pumped through each cylinder, and electrons flow along it. "Using this architecture, we directly deliver CO2 gas to chemolithoautotrophs through the pores in the hollow fibers," Alqahtani says. "We provided electrons and CO2 simultaneously to chemolithoautotrophs on the cathode surface."
Will the microbes demand minimum wage for remediating our excess carbon dioxide?
Porous Hollow Fiber Nickel Electrodes for Effective Supply and Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methane through Microbial Electrosynthesis (DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201804860) (DX)
Porous nickel hollow fiber cathodes coated with CNTs for efficient microbial electrosynthesis of acetate from CO2 using Sporomusa ovata (DOI: 10.1039/C8TA05322G) (DX)
(Score: 2) by legont on Saturday December 15 2018, @03:09AM (3 children)
They make methane out of carbon dioxide? Does it mean I can keep my 600 hp V12 forever ever?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 4, Funny) by JoeMerchant on Saturday December 15 2018, @03:31AM (2 children)
It means that you need to put a giant balloon on the exhaust pipe to catch the CO2. Then, when you've driven about 1/2km, you need to stop, because the bag is full and the microbes need about 4 hours in the sun to convert the CO2 to methane which energy from your solar cells can compress into fuel for the engine. Then, you're ready to motor another 1/2km, in road burning style with your 600hp V12. 8hrs/km average, when the sun is shining. Sail power would do better, most days.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 1) by tftp on Saturday December 15 2018, @05:02AM (1 child)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday December 15 2018, @10:06AM
Some folks are always in a big hurry. Going "wherever" as fast as possible. And some of us take it a little slower. I'm from New York City. Otherwise known as the home of taking it slow. Of classiness. Of luxury. Of traveling in style. And of horrific traffic jams. Where, so many times, it would be faster to walk. And frankly, faster to crawl on all fours. As your life's energy drains from your body forever. Very very rarely will you catch me hoofing it -- limousine. Cadillac's finest. Or possibly I'll call the helicopter. I always look magnificent in a helicopter. And I'll tell you a little secret. People don't know this, helicopter is one of the fastest ways to get around New York. youtu.be/5tjPZvxwgEk [youtu.be]
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday December 15 2018, @03:33AM (4 children)
Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2.
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(Score: 2) by legont on Saturday December 15 2018, @04:33AM
Yes, if it is released as opposed to being properly burned in my v16 monster truck. I bet this technology is cleaner than solar panel battery cycle. Cars to save the world one more time!
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 15 2018, @03:10PM
Yes. Hence the beavers 'plan' (instinctual) to melt the permafrost. Mother nature's ecologists hard at work as lazy humans do nothing.
(Score: 2) by HiThere on Saturday December 15 2018, @05:29PM (1 child)
More potent, yes, but it also has a shorter half-life. Lots of things like to eat methane. ... of course, when they die they release the carbon as CO2....unless they're eaten by something else, it's stored into cellulose, or some other similar mechanism, (Most free-range methane ends up as CO2 fairly quickly. A report is that it has a half-life of seven years.)
This doesn't mean it isn't dangerous, but there are many natural sources, so that can't be the sole concern. Getting rid of CO2 economically is a real benefit, and occasional leaks shouldn't override that. Not if the methane is being used to turn a profit, so there's a benefit in being careful.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Saturday December 15 2018, @06:48PM
Crude oil is being used to turn a profit, doesn't stop them from running flare stacks.
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