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Su Kim H, Lee S, Moon M, Jong Jung H, Lee J, Chu YH, Rae Kim J, Kim D, Woo Park G, Hyun Ko C, Youn Lee S. Enhancing microbial CO 2 electrocatalysis for multicarbon reduction in a wet amine-based catholyte. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301342. [PMID: 38287485 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Microbial CO2 electroreduction (mCO2ER) offers a promising approach for producing high-value multicarbon reductants from CO2 by combining CO2 fixing microorganisms with conducting materials (i. e., cathodes). However, the solubility and availability of CO2 in an aqueous electrolyte pose significant limitations in this system. This study demonstrates the efficient production of long-chain multicarbon reductants, specifically carotenoids (~C40), within a wet amine-based catholyte medium during mCO2ER. Optimizing the concentration of the biocompatible CO2 absorbent, monoethanolamine (MEA), led to enhanced CO2 fixation in the electroautotroph bacteria. Molecular biological analyses revealed that MEA in the catholyte medium redirected the carbon flux towards carotenoid biosynthesis during mCO2ER. The faradaic efficiency of mCO2ER with MEA for carotenoid production was 4.5-fold higher than that of the control condition. These results suggest the mass transport bottleneck in bioelectrochemical systems could be effectively addressed by MEA-assissted mCO2ER, enabling highly efficient production of valuable products from CO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Su Kim
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Sangmin Lee
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
- Bio-Environmental Chemistry, Chungnam National University, 34134, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Myounghoon Moon
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hwi Jong Jung
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jiye Lee
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Young-Hwan Chu
- Energy AI ⋅ Computational Science Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 34129, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jung Rae Kim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, 46241, Pusan, South Korea
| | - Danbee Kim
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Gwon Woo Park
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Chang Hyun Ko
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Soo Youn Lee
- Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003, Gwangju, South Korea
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Fitriana HN, Lee S, Kim HS, Lee J, Lee Y, Lee JS, Park H, Ko CH, Lim SY, Lee SY. Enhanced CO 2 electroconversion of Rhodobacter sphaeroides by cobalt-phosphate complex assisted water oxidation. Bioelectrochemistry 2022; 145:108102. [PMID: 35338862 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2022.108102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
CO2 can be a next generation feedstock for electricity-driven bioproduction due to its abundance and availability. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES), a promising technique for CO2 electroconversion, provides an attractive route for the production of valuable products from CO2, but issues surrounding efficiency and reasonable productivity should be resolved. Improving the anode performance for water oxidation under neutral pH is one of the most important aspects to advance current MES. Here, we introduce cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) assisted water oxidation at the counter electrode (i.e., anode) to upgrade the MES performance at pH 7.0. We show that CO2 can be converted by photochemoautotrophic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides into organic acids and carotenoids in the MES reactor. Planktonic cells of R. sphareroides in the Co-Pi anode equipped MES reactor was ca. 1.5-fold higher than in the control condition (w/o Co-Pi). The faradaic efficiency of the Co-Pi anode equipped MES reactor was remarkably higher (58.3%) than that of the bare anode (27.8%). While the system can improve the CO2 electroconversion nonetheless there are some further optimizations are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Nur Fitriana
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Sangmin Lee
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hui Su Kim
- Department of Advanced Chemicals & Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jiye Lee
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Yurim Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program of Agriculture and Life Science, Chonnam National University, 61186 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jin-Suk Lee
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hyojung Park
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea; Bioremediation Team, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, 55365 Jeollabuk-do, South Korea
| | - Chang Hyun Ko
- Department of Advanced Chemicals & Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186 Gwangju, South Korea; School of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 61186 Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Sung Yul Lim
- Department of Chemistry, Kyung Hee University, 02447 Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soo Youn Lee
- Gwangju Bio/Energy R&D Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 61003 Gwangju, South Korea.
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Modulation of Antioxidant Activity Enhances Photoautotrophic Cell Growth of Rhodobacter sphaeroides in Microbial Electrosynthesis. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15030935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Global warming is currently accelerating due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions by industrialization. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) using electroactive autotrophic microorganisms has recently been reported as a method to reduce carbon dioxide, the main culprit of greenhouse gas. However, there are still few cases of application of MES, and the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. To investigate the growth characteristics in MES, we carried out growth tests according to reducing power sources in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The growth rate was significantly lower when electrons were directly supplied to cells, compared to when hydrogen was supplied. Through a transcriptome analysis, we found that the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes was meaningfully higher in MES than in normal photoautotrophic conditions. Similarly, endogenous contents of H2O2 were higher and peroxidase activities were lower in MES. The exogenous application of ascorbic acid, a representative biological antioxidant, promotes cell growth by decreasing ROS levels, confirming the inhibitory effects of ROS on MES. Taken together, our observations suggest that reduction of ROS by increasing antioxidant activities is important for enhancing the cell growth and production of CO2-converting substances such as carotenoids in MES in R. sphaeroides
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