To eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2) of our atmosphere, some rely on trees. Others, on 100% technological solutions. Still others, about life. This is the case of American and Italian researchers who, together, have perhaps just made, in mattermatteran important discovery. In the magazine Applied and Environmental Microbiologythey describe a cyanobacteria that could play a major role in our decarbonization projects.
Cyanobacteria are found everywhere on our Earth. For two to three billion years. These microorganismsmicroorganisms were even the first to produce oxygen. But the one in question here, the microbiologists went to look for it off the island of VolcanoVolcanoin Sicily (Italy). It is an environment naturally rich in CO2 due to the activity of volcanic ventsvolcanic vents shallow. And the researchers hoped to find organisms there which had developed the capacity to boost their growth thanks to this CO2.
A bacteria to sequester carbon at the bottom of the seas
Once the cyanobacteria – it is officially called Utex 3222 – isolated, they placed it in conditions known to be favorable to its development: warm temperatures, lots of lightlight and a lot of CO2. The researchers then observed that it produced larger colonies than other known fast-growing cyanobacteria strains. Its individual cells were also larger. The one they nicknamed Chonkus also achieved a higher density and carbon content than existing strains.
Et, cerisecerise on the cake, the cyanobacteria seems to want, instead of remaining in suspension like its cousins, to clump into dense pellets which sink to the bottom of the water. Enough to ensure carbon sequestration over the longer term. But also, to facilitate its possible industrial use. Because such dumplings are more concentrated and easy to dry.
Additional bioproducts
The researchers explain that several products are currently manufactured fromalgaealgae. Of the omega-3omega-3 or the spirulinaspirulinaFor example. They could be made more efficiently in a fast-growing, dense strain of cyanobacteria. And the fact that it directly recovers carbon from its environment to grow means that it can both sequester carbon and be used for the biomanufacturing of various products.
The researchers made their Chonkus samples available for others to use freely. And they are already looking for other microbes that could help capture and recycle CO2. On the side of hot springshot springs of Colorado, the steaming lands of the Tyrrhenian Sea or the coral reefscoral reefs of the Red SeaRed Seaamong others. Because they are now convinced of it, “It’s more efficient to look for microbes that have already evolved to succeed in environments relevant to humans rather than trying to create all the traits we want in environments bacteriabacteria E. coliE. coli grown in the laboratory ».
