A native CO2-reducing bacterium: Discovery, implementation and interests

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been demonstrated herein to reduce CO2 without any cofactor, photon or hydrogen (H2) addition during reaction. S. maltophilia reduces 13CO2 into 13C-labeled formate in batch mode. Two intracellular enzymes are curently being considered for their ability to catalyze the CO2 reduction reaction: a Fe-nitrogenase and a formate dehydrogenase (FeS-FDH). The reaction was intensified by implementing the bacteria in an electrolysis cell continuously fed with CO2. In this configuration, CO2 removal reached up to 25% v/v at 30°C and atmospheric pressure.