Reversible interconversion of carbon dioxide and formate by an electroactive enzyme.

ABSTRACT: Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) is a kinetically and thermodynamically stable molecule. It is easily formed by the oxidation of organic molecules, during combustion or respiration, but is difficult to reduce. The production of reduced carbon compounds from CO(2) is an attractive proposition, because carbon-neutral energy sources could be used to generate fuel resources and sequester CO(2) from the atmosphere. However, available methods for the electrochemical reduction of CO(2) require excessive overpotentials (are energetically wasteful) and produce mixtures of products. Here, we show that a tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase enzyme (FDH1) adsorbed to an electrode surface catalyzes the efficient electrochemical reduction of CO(2) to formate. Electrocatalysis by FDH1 is thermodynamically rev

SUBMITTER: Reda T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2491486 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature