Energy from CO2 - (Feb/14/2009 )
Hello
I have heard that there are some organisms that get energy by utilizing CO2 but in the absence of light......some bacteria deep down on the ocean bed where light doesn't reach. Does anyone know of some good source where I can find more information on this?
TC
T C on Feb 14 2009, 07:13 AM said:
I have heard that there are some organisms that get energy by utilizing CO2 but in the absence of light......some bacteria deep down on the ocean bed where light doesn't reach. Does anyone know of some good source where I can find more information on this?
TC
IIRC chemosynthesis in autotroph organisms (bacteria and archaea) is a possibility:
CO2 + 4 H2 → CH4 + 2 H2O
Photosynthesis does not "get energy from carbon dioxide". Methanogenesis indeed is an energetic reaction and methanogens can live on hydrogen and carbon dioxide as sole sources of energy. They're all over the place most significantly in rumen of cows per the global warming concerns - and in human gut consistent with the hot air of some on the subject.
Aside from the examples above, chemolithoautotrophes such as Desulfuromonas live by oxidising hydrogen using sulphur, producing hydrogen sulphide. It uses this energy to fix carbon dioxide.
In an aerobic environment, bugs from the genus like sulfolubus can take H2S and oxidise it right down to sulphuric acid using that energy to fix carbon from CO2
good point - those and methanogens are anaerobic