To address population growth and agricultural resource constraints, scientists developed an electrolytic gas-lift reactor for efficient hydrogen-oxidizing bacterial single-cell protein (HOB-SCP) synthesis using CO₂ and renewable electricity. By integrating the electrolyzer cathode with a gas-lift reactor, microbes directly utilized electrolytic hydrogen, eliminating transport losses and achieving 100% hydrogen efficiency while reducing explosion risks.
A stepwise current increase (1–6 A) minimized reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibition, yielding 0.20 g/L/d biomass (58.3% protein, surpassing soybeans) dominated by Ancylobacter (74.4%) and Xanthobacter (8.2%).
The system demonstrated low energy consumption, safety, and microbial stability, with potential applications in food production and carbon capture. Future work will optimize reactor design, electrode materials, and microbial resilience to accelerate HOB-SCP industrialization, supporting sustainable food systems and carbon neutrality.
The work entitled “A novel electrolytic gas lift reactor for efficient microbial electrosynthesis of hydrogen-oxidizing bacterial single-cell protein from CO₂” was published on Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing (published on Feb. 11, 2025).