INTEGRATING CHEMICAL CATALYSIS AND BIOLOGICAL CONVERSION OF CARBON INTERMEDIATES FOR DERIVING VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS FROM CARBON DIOXIDE

Nearly 80% of the world’s primary energy consumption is supported by non-renewable fossil fuels. Carbon Dioxide, as one of greenhouse gases, affects the climate because of the significant emission by fossil fuel combustion. Reducing Carbon Dioxide by electrochemistry can produce one-carbon intermediates such as methanol, acetate and formic acid. Methanotrophic bacteria including Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR can utilize those intermediates, and their pathways could be engineered to generate value-added products such as propene and Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). This study focused on integrating electrochemical and biological conversion systems together by optimizing of the media and substrates. Moreover, the analysis of spent media can help to understand the characteristic of the strain, which provides the potential method for the improvement of product yield. Changing the amount of Tungsten (W) and Copper (Cu) can change the pathways of methanol utilization to affect cell growth. Other modifications like changing ratios of substrates provides ways to increase carbon utilization efficiency. With those effort, the integration is feasible and has the potential to contribute to the industry because CO2 is no longer waste but a feedstock. It is also beneficial to the environment since the recycle of greenhouse gas can alleviate greenhouse effect