Objectif
"Increasing energy demand and depleting fossils has put forward the necessity of searching alternatives. Recently, bioelectricity production through bioelectrochemical systems (BES) has gained prominence in the recent bioenergy scenario due to its sustainable nature. BES is electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy to electricity using biochemical pathways and redox enzymes. Enzymatic fuel cells works with the help of purified enzymes to catalyze the oxidation of fuel at the anode and reduction of the electron acceptor at cathode. Numerous chemical transformations are reported to be catalyzed by redox-active enzymes including both the reduction and oxidation of substrates. However, all these enzymes require pure substrates for their function which is not economic for large scale applications. In the present study, carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered as substrate for both anodic oxidation as well as cathodic reduction that yield carbonated water and methanol respectively. The proposed work signifies the importance of CO2 sequestration in the present scenario of environmental pollution problems such as global warming as well as need of alternative biofuels. The work plan will investigate the feasibility and mechanisms of atmospheric CO2 sequestration through enzyme-cocktails (multiple enzymes at once) at anodic oxidation process to harness bioelectricity along with the carbonated water, having multiple applications, and cathodic reduction for the synthesis of methanol, without using external energy. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) will be used as anodic biocatalyst for sequestering CO2 to generate carbonated water along with generation of protons (H+) and electrons (e-). On the other hand, three enzymes, viz., Formate dehydrogenase (Fate DH), formaldehyde dehydrogenase (Fald DH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (Alc DH), individually and in combination at cathode as terminal electron acceptor for the reduction of H+ and e- coming from anode converting CO2 into methanol."
Champ scientifique
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistrybioelectrochemistry
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysis
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes
Appel à propositions
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF
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Régime de financement
MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)Coordinateur
2400 Mol
Belgique