Gas-lift reactor boosts microbial protein yield via 100% hydrogen efficiency
image: Novel gas-lift reactor for production of single cell protein in hydrogen oxidizing bacteria
Credit: Yu, J., Cui, K., Hu, X. et al
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).