Researchers
in Denmark have discovered that a certain enzyme causes sunlight to break down
the chemical bonds in plants. The finding could improve industrial processes
such as the production of biofuels.
Photosynthesis
is a process in which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy that can be
later released as fuel. But now, a group of scientists from the University of
Copenhagen have found that adding an enzyme called monooxygenase to the process
causes sunlight to break down plant material instead of helping create it. They
refer to this phenomenon as "reverse photosynthesis."
The
discovery could be applied to processes that require the breakdown of chemical
bonds, such as the production of bioethanol, which is made from biomass via a
fermentation process.
In a press
release, Professor Claus Felby from the Plant Science Centre at the University
of Copenhagen, the head of the study, called the discovery a "game
changer" that could transform the production of fuels and chemicals,
increasing efficiency and decreasing pollution.
Great usage
potential
The first
step to producing bioethanol is breaking down cellulose, an organic material
that forms the walls in plant cells. This is exactly what happens when monooxygenase
is added to the photosynthesis process.
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| Ethanol is widely used as engine fuel |
"Basically,
we have found a new way of using solar energy - going directly from sunlight to
chemistry," Felby told DW. "This opens up a lot of
possibilities."
The
scientists' lab tests indicated that applying this process resulted in much
faster production of ethanol and at lower temperatures. The duration of some of
the chemical reactions was reduced from hours to minutes when sunlight was
involved.
Ethanol has
a multitude of uses in the modern world, mostly as engine fuel, but also as an
ingredient in medical and personal care products.
The team
also found that the same process can be applied to oxidizing methane. This
produces methanol, a key ingredient in the manufacture of different chemicals.
"Methanol
currently requires very large and expensive steel units to produce,"
explained Felby. "If our method was applied to this process, you would
only need small, simple production units, something similar to a
greenhouse."
Need to
test large-scale application
While the
process has proven effective in a lab environment, the scientists need to do
further research to determine how it would work in real life.
"We
are now working on exploring this," David Cannella, a co-author of the
study, told DW. "You need to make sure that sunlight penetrates the
organic material that you are converting, and we still need to work out how to
do this."
Cannella
feels optimistic about the commercial applicability of the process, as does
Felby.
"We
have to determine the exact amount of light needed for the process and how and
when to apply it," said Felby. "But that's just a question of
engineering."
He added
that going directly from sunlight to chemical energy results in very little
energy loss: "It's a near-perfect process."
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