Some microorganisms can use electricity in much the same way humans use food: as a source of energy. Some of them are even able to take electrons directly from an electrode and use this energy to transform carbon dioxide (CO₂) into useful molecules. This process, called microbial electrosynthesis, is a promising technology for producing sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials from renewable electricity while recycling CO₂. However, current systems rely on a very limited number of known microorganisms, which strongly restricts what can be produced and under which conditions.
This project aims to unlock a largely unexplored biological resource: polyextremophilic microorganisms. These microbes live in extreme environments such as high temperature, high salinity, or extreme pH, for example in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Recent research suggests that such organisms could greatly expand the range of molecules that can be produced by microbial electrosynthesis, and operate under conditions where conventional microbes fail.
To achieve this, the project develops a new generation of low-cost, miniaturized, and automated electrosynthesis reactors using 3D printing and open-source electronics. Unlike existing systems that are very expensive and scarce, these devices make it possible to rapidly test many extreme conditions in parallel. Hydrothermal vent samples collected during oceanographic campaigns will be enriched, screened, and analyzed to identify new electricity-using microorganisms and microbial communities.
Ultimately, the project seeks to isolate new strains capable of converting CO₂ and electricity into valuable products such as bioplastics, organic acids, alcohols, or energy carriers. Beyond its biotechnological potential, this work will open a new field of research at the intersection of microbiology, electrochemistry, and extreme environments, with implications for sustainable industry, deep-sea ecology, and even future space exploration.