Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

988
Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
988
Microbial Fermentation01:23

Microbial Fermentation

1.3K
Fermentation is a crucial anaerobic metabolic process that enables microbes to derive energy from sugar without relying on oxygen or an electron transport chain. This process is fundamental to various biological and industrial applications and is classified based on the metabolic products generated.Role of Pyruvate in FermentationPyruvate and its derivatives serve as key electron acceptors in fermentative pathways. The oxidation of NADH to regenerate NAD+ is essential for the continuation of...
1.3K
Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

22.0K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
22.0K
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

697
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
697
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

878
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
878
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis01:30

Anoxygenic Photosynthesis

1.1K
Anoxygenic photosynthesis is a phototrophic process that captures light energy to drive carbon fixation without producing molecular oxygen. Unlike oxygenic photosynthesis, which utilizes water as an electron donor and releases oxygen, anoxygenic phototrophs use alternative electron donors such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), elemental sulfur (S⁰), or thiosulfate (S₂O₃²⁻). This process is carried out by diverse groups of bacteria, including purple bacteria, green...
1.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Multi-omics analysis reveals propanol is superior electron donor for odd-chain elongation.

Bioresource technology·2026
Same author

CO<sub>2</sub> availability as process tool to enhance isobutyric acid production in methanol fermentation by Clostridium luticellarii.

Bioresource technology·2026
Same author

Propionate oxidation by <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i> is electron acceptor dependent.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2026
Same author

Carbohydrate concentration and type drive product selectivity to a mixture of volatile fatty acids or lactic acid in thermophilic mixed-culture fermentation.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same author

Growth and protein content of Cupriavidus necator on organic acids derived from fermented grey starch.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same author

Ecophysiological characterization of thermophilic anammox process: Impact of environmental conditions and wastewater constituents on the activity of a novel granular thermophilic anammox culture.

Water research·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

8.1K

Microbial electrosynthesis from CO2: forever a promise?

Antonin Prévoteau1, Jose M Carvajal-Arroyo1, Ramon Ganigué1

  • 1Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Campus Coupure - Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; CAPTURE, Belgium(4).

Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|October 9, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) shows promise for CO2 conversion but faces challenges in efficiency and production rates. Decoupling electroreduction from fermentation may offer a more competitive bio-production pathway.

More Related Videos

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.8K
Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

14.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

8.1K
Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.8K
Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

14.0K

Area of Science:

  • Electrochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) utilizes microbial metabolism for bio-production, converting CO2 into valuable organic compounds.
  • Despite a decade of research, MES performance metrics are plateauing, hindering competitiveness with fossil-fuel-derived products.
  • Current MES processes struggle to achieve both high production rates and energy efficiency in microbial-compatible electrolytes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and discuss the technological shortcomings of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) for CO2 conversion.
  • To propose mitigation strategies for enhancing MES performance and competitiveness.
  • To explore alternative approaches for efficient bio-production using electrochemical methods.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of existing research on microbial electrosynthesis (MES) from CO2.
  • Identification of key challenges related to production rates (current densities) and energy efficiency (cell voltage).
  • Conceptual exploration of decoupling abiotic electroreduction from subsequent fermentation.

Main Results:

  • MES research has seen significant improvements but is plateauing below commercially competitive levels.
  • Achieving high current densities and low cell voltages simultaneously in MES remains a substantial challenge.
  • Decoupling abiotic CO2 electroreduction (e.g., to CO or ethanol) from fermentation is presented as a promising strategy.

Conclusions:

  • Substantial technological advancements are needed to make MES competitive for commodity chemical synthesis.
  • Overcoming the trade-off between production rate and energy efficiency in MES is critical.
  • Integrating abiotic electroreduction with fermentation offers a potentially more viable route for efficient bio-production.