Jaclyn Izbicki

 

 

B.S., Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst. May 2011.

 

 

Currently, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are climbing at an incredible rate. Continual growth within the traditional framework of Western societies dictates that concentrations of this important greenhouse gas will continue to rise, due to reliance on fossil fuels as a primary energy source. Sequestering carbon from atmospheric CO₂ and converting it to liquid fuel is an attractive way to both capture energy in the form of carbon-carbon bonds, as well as slow the ever-increasing conversion of terrestrial carbon into our atmosphere. When this is achieved through photosynthesis, energy is diverted towards biomass production, and is therefore lost. Additionally, to obtain the final product, further processing is often required, driving costs higher. Electrosynthesis is an attractive alternative because electricity may serve as the electron donor, and can be powered by wind or solar techonologies. Microbial electrosynthesis (ME) is the process by which microorganisms use electrons derived from an external power source to reduce CO₂ to extracellular, multicarbon products in the same net overall reaction as oxygenic photosynthesis. This is an appealing over traditional electrosynthesis because it eliminates the need for abiotic catalysts, which are often expensive and toxic, precluding open system utilization. It has recently been demonstrated that acetogens are naturally capable of performing ME when grown reductively in the cathode chamber of a traditional, negatively poised microbial fuel cell. However, the mechanisms and pathways of this electrotrophy are not well understood. By studying the gene expression patterns and metabolic rates of acetogens under pressure to perform ME, we hope to understand the physiology behind this process, which will allow us to further optimize the process of capturing energy in this fashion.