Bioelectrosynthesis as an alternative to photosynthesis

Abstract

The CO2 reduction processes have been discussed as a way of designing an ecologically totally closed technology. An electric current and molecular hydrogen are the two related available agents that can be discussed as ecologically pure reductants. The most important products are liquid and gaseous fuels, the products of large-scale organic synthesis, monomers, and amino acids. For CO2 reduction, the necessary energy consumption and H2 costs were calculated. For complex organic molecules, amino acids for instance, the energy consumption does not make up the main portion of the costs. The biocatalytic systems of CO2 reduction based on cryoimmobilized cells are described. Conversion of CO2 into L-lysine with electrochemical decomposition of water was effected on the laboratory scale. A general unit for diverse technological processes can be a bioelectrosynthetic Index Entries: Bioelectrosynthesis; CO2 reduction; liquid fuels; amino acids; immobilized cells; economic estimates. modulus, an electrochemical hydrogen generator coupled with a biocatalytic converter of hydrogen and oxygen. The systems for bioelectrosynthesis of motor fuels and essential amino acids have been economically estimated and characterized. The possibilities of combining the solar energy transformation and H2–CO2 conversion have been discussed.