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    微生物气体发酵:C1气体资源化与化学品合成

    Microbial Gas Fermentation: C1 Gas Valorization and Chemicals Synthesis

    • 摘要: 微生物气体发酵是一种极具潜力的碳资源转化技术,该技术以一氧化碳(CO)、二氧化碳(CO2)及氢气(H2)等气体作为底物,在乙酸菌等功能微生物的作用下合成燃料与化学品。在全球碳减排与碳中和目标背景下,该技术因能在温和条件下实现碳固定,并直接利用工业尾气或可再生合成气,展现出显著的环境与经济效益,成为碳循环利用领域的研究热点。本文综述了气体发酵的关键微生物及其代谢机制,重点阐述乙酸菌通过Wood–Ljungdahl途径(WLP)实现C1气体向乙酰辅酶A转化的反应机理及能量保存策略;系统分析了不同气体底物(包括工业尾气、合成气及CO2/H2体系)的来源、组成及应用潜力,并总结了乙酸、乙醇等基础产物及其中链羧酸、醇类和聚羟基脂肪酸酯(PHAs)等高附加值产物的合成特征与应用前景。在此基础上,归纳了制约气体发酵规模化应用的关键因素,包括气液传质受限、底物利用效率不足、产物谱受限及选择性调控困难等问题。针对上述瓶颈,展望了通过反应器与工艺优化强化传质过程,结合适应性实验进化与代谢工程拓展产物谱并提升碳转化效率,同时通过与链延长等下游生物过程耦合实现产物高值化转化。

       

      Abstract: Gas fermentation has emerged as a promising technology for carbon utilization by converting C1 gaseous substrates, such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen (H2), into biofuels and platform chemicals via acetogenic microorganisms. Driven by global carbon reduction and carbon neutrality goals, this technology has attracted increasing attention due to its ability to fix carbon funder mild conditions while directly utilizing industrial off-gases or renewable syngas. Consequently, it offers significant environmental and economic benefits in the field of carbon recycling. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in gas fermentation, beginning with the key functional microorganisms involved, with particular emphasis on acetogenic bacteria and their Wood–Ljungdahl pathway. The metabolic features and energy conservation strategies of this pathway are discussed to illustrate its central role in converting C1 substrates into acetyl-CoA. Subsequently, the major gaseous feedstocks—including industrial off-gases, biomass-derived syngas, and CO2/H2 mixtures—are classified and compared in terms of availability, composition, and application potential. The main fermentation products are then reviewed, focusing on acetate and ethanol as the most established compounds. In addition, recent studies demonstrate the feasibility of producing a broader range of value-added chemicals through metabolic engineering and process integration; these include medium-chain carboxylate acids (e.g., butyrate and caproate), their corresponding alcohols (e.g., butanol and hexanol), and biopolymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates. Despite these advances, several key challenges still limit the large-scale application of gas fermentation, including the inherently low solubility of gaseous substrates, which results in gas–liquid mass transfer limitations, the relatively narrow product spectrum of native acetogens, and the difficulty in controlling product selectivity under industrial conditions. Finally, future perspectives are proposed to address these challenges. Strategies such as reactor and process optimization are expected to enhance gas–liquid mass transfer efficiency, while adaptive laboratory evolution and metabolic engineering may expand product diversity and improve carbon conversion efficiency. Furthermore, integrating gas fermentation with downstream bioprocesses—particularly chain elongation—offers a promising route to convert primary metabolites into higher-value chemicals. Through these advances, gas fermentation is expected to play an increasingly important role in circular carbon utilization and sustainable chemical production.

       

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