Dr. Northumbria University’s Shafeer Kalathil is one of a team of academics behind the project, which uses a chemical process that converts sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into acetate and oxygen to produce high-value fuels and chemicals powered by renewable energy.As part of the process, the bacteria are grown on a synthetic semiconductor device known as a photocatalyst plate, which means the conversion can take place without the help of organic ingredients, the creation of toxins or the use of electricity.
The goal of the project is to limit the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere, ensure the much-needed supply of green energy and reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. A study detailing the results of the team’s research was published in the scientific journal Nature Catalysis.Dr. Kalathil, a Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Fellow, is working on the project with Erwin Reisner, Professor of Energy and Sustainability at the University of Cambridge, Dr Qian Wang, Associate Professor at Nagoya University in Japan, and partners from Newcastle University.
Dr Kalathil said: “Several incidents have demonstrated the fragility of global energy supplies, such as the recent spike in UK gas prices, the outbreak of conflict and civil war in the Middle East and the environmental and humanitarian threat of a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Japan: The search for alternative sources of energy is therefore of fundamental global importance.”Our research directly addresses the global energy crisis and climate change facing society today. We need to develop new technologies to address these grand challenges without further polluting the planet we live on.”
“There has been an increase in electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar, but these are intermittent in nature. To fill the gap when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining, we need technologies that can create storable fuels and sustainable chemicals. Our research meets this challenge donates directly.”In addition to providing much-needed additional energy supplies, our sustainable technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and play a key role in the global effort to achieve net zero.”
The project was supported by funding from the European Research Council, UK Research and Innovation and Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England Fund, which supports university research units and departments in expanding and enhancing their activities. The Research England grant was secured through the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), a joint initiative between Northumbria and Newcastle University, which received a total of £8m from Research England to carry out the project work. Launched in August 2019, HBBE develops biotechnology to create environmentally friendly buildings that can metabolize waste, reduce pollution, generate sustainable energy and improve human health and well-being.
Dr. Kalathil, who is heavily involved with HBBE, said: “HBBE’s goals are in line with what we are trying to achieve through our research – to address key environmental issues facing our society today and in the future.” research represents an interdisciplinary approach that combines the strengths of microbes, synthetic materials, and analytical techniques for chemical transformation and provides an excellent platform for large-scale production of high-value, environmentally friendly fuels and chemicals. We are already in talks with international chemical and cosmetic manufacturers and the ultimate goal is to develop our technology on a commercial scale.”
Source Reference: Qian Wang, Shafeer Kalathil, Chanon Pornrungroj, Constantin D. Sahm, Erwin Reisner. Bacteria–photocatalyst sheet for sustainable carbon dioxide utilization. Nature Catalysis, 2022; 5 (7): 633 DOI: 10.1038/s41929-022-00817-z
