Proof of electrotrophic microbial community development and electric power production in deep-sea hydrothermal vents

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24244091
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Geochemistry/Astrochemistry
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: TAKAI Ken 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, 分野長 (80359166)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAMURA Ryuhei 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 環境資源科学研究センター, チームリーダー (10447419) ; YAMAMOTO Masahiro 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, 研究員 (60435849)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-05-31 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 電気合成 / 化学合成 / 深海 / 熱水噴出孔 / 独立栄養 / 電子伝達 / 硫化鉱物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, enrichment of possible electrotrophic microbial communities has been tested under 600 mV redox potential in the laboratory. However, we have not successfully found biomass production of electrotrophic microbial community. Next, it has been conducted in natural deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments. In the Iheya North hydrothermal field, a fuel cell has been deployed for two weeks using platinum-coated titanium electrodes, deployed in a hydrothermal fluid and ambient seawater. During the deployment, generation of 600 mV redox potential has been achieved. After the recovery, dense biofilm has been identified on the surface of cathode. The efficient electron conductivity and the dense biofilm development both point to the possible enrichment and biomass production of microbial community significantly based on the electroautotrophy. This research project reveals the possible existence of electrotrophic microbial community in natural deep-sea hydrothermal environments.

Free Research Field

地球生物学