Microbial electron uptake in microbial electrosynthesis: a mini-review

Rengasamy Karthikeyan, Rajesh Singh, Arpita Bose

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microbial electron uptake (EU) is the biological capacity of microbes to accept electrons from electroconductive solid materials. EU has been leveraged for sustainable bioproduction strategies via microbial electrosynthesis (MES). MES often involves the reduction of carbon dioxide to multi-carbon molecules, with electrons derived from electrodes in a bioelectrochemical system. EU can be indirect or direct. Indirect EU-based MES uses electron mediators to transfer electrons to microbes. Although an excellent initial strategy, indirect EU requires higher electrical energy. In contrast, the direct supply of cathodic electrons to microbes (direct EU) is more sustainable and energy efficient. Nonetheless, low product formation due to low electron transfer rates during direct EU remains a major challenge. Compared to indirect EU, direct EU is less well-studied perhaps due to the more recent discovery of this microbial capability. This mini-review focuses on the recent advances and challenges of direct EU in relation to MES.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1419-1426
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
Volume46
Issue number9-10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2019

Keywords

  • Bioelectrochemical system
  • Direct EU
  • Indirect EU
  • Microbial electron uptake
  • Microbial electrosynthesis

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