Ammonia production using bioelectrocatalytical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506085-B2
Application number	US-201313931368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2013
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A device comprising at least one electrode and at least one cell such as Anabaena variabilis cyanobacteria disposed on said electrode for producing ammonia. A layer of polymer, such as ion exchange polymer, can be used to help immobilize the cells. Whole cells or partially disrupted cells can be used. A method and a system for producing ammonia, comprising contacting at least one cyanobacteria such as Anabaena variabilis cyanobacteria with a media with an electrochemical perturbation is disclosed. The potential enhances ammonia production.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical system for use in the production of ammonia from cyanobacteria with the use of a polarized working electrode comprising:
at least one working electrode and ammonia-producing cells disposed on the working electrode, wherein the ammonia-producing cells are cyanobacteria,
at least one counter electrode, and
at least one electrolyte solution, and
wherein the system further comprises at least one fixed potential source or at least one potentiostat to polarize the electrodes, and
wherein the system provides for an ammonia production quantity that is at least 100% higher than the ammonia production quantity in which the working electrode is not polarized.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are a filamentous heterocystic cyanobacteria.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are genetically mutated.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are Anabaena variabilis.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are Anabaena variabilis strain SA-1.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells comprise at least nitrogenase enzyme and/or nitrate/nitrite reductase enzyme.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working electrode is a carbon electrode, a metal electrode, or a semiconductor electrode.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working electrode is coated at least in part with a polymer.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working electrode is a carbon electrode.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working electrode is a glassy carbon electrode.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises at least one layer disposed on the working electrode adapted to immobilize the cell on the electrode.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the layer is a polymer layer.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises at least one ion exchange polymer.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises at least one ion exchange polymer modified with alkyl ammonium cation.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises at least one ion exchange polymer, wherein the ion exchange polymer comprises an ion exchange polymer comprising a fluorocarbon backbone and sulfonic acid groups which are modified to reduce acidity.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the layer is about 0.1 micron to about 200 microns thick.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the working electrode is a carbon electrode or a metal electrode, and wherein the layer comprises at least one ion exchange polymer.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises additional components in the electrolyte solution to enhance ammonia production.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system components are adapted for cyclic voltammetry.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are at least partially disrupted.

21. The system of claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises at least one fluorinated ion exchange polymer.

22. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells disposed on the working electrode are attached to the electrode without a polymer layer.

23. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system provides for an ammonia production quantity that is at least 200% higher than the ammonia production quantity in which the working electrode is not polarized.

24. A method comprising: providing at least one system according to claim 1 , providing the cells with an appropriate nitrogen-containing enzyme substrate, and producing ammonia from the cells.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the working electrode is subjected to an electrical potential in the production of ammonia.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the working electrode is subjected to a constant potential or a cycled voltammetry.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the production of ammonia is carried out with use of a media which comprises at least one of nitrate, nitrite, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH).

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the media further comprises ferredoxin.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the ammonia-producing cells are Anabaena variabilis.

30. The method of claim 24 , wherein the production of ammonia is carried out with use of light.

Assignees

• Univ Of Iowa Res Found (Uirf)
• Univ Iowa Res Found

Inventors

• Leddy Johna
• Paschkewitz Timothy Michael

Classifications

• C12N9/0044

  acting on other nitrogen compounds as donors (1.7) · CPC title

• C12N11/14

  Enzymes or microbial cells immobilised on or in an inorganic carrier · CPC title

• C12P3/00 Primary

  Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {(recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02)} · CPC title

• C12N9/0095

  acting on iron-sulfur proteins as donor (1.18) · CPC title

• Y02P20/52

  using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts · CPC title