Bacteria Turns Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuel

Monday, December 14 2009

Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have genetically modified a cyanobacterium to consume carbon dioxide and produce the liquid fuel isobutanol, which has great potential as a gasoline alternative. The reaction is powered directly by energy from sunlight, through photosynthesis.

This method has two main advantages. First, it recycles carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. Second, it uses solar energy to convert the carbon dioxide into a liquid fuel that can be used in the existing energy infrastructure - including in most automobiles.

"This new approach avoids the need for biomass deconstruction, either in the case of cellulosic biomass or algal biomass, which is a major economic barrier for biofuel production," said team leader James C. Liao, Chancellor's Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "Therefore, this is potentially much more efficient and less expensive than the current approach."