Two-Stage Continuous Conversion of Carbon Monoxide to Ethylene by Whole Cells of Azotobacter vinelandii

Abstract

Ethylene is an essential commodity feedstock used for the generation of a variety of consumer products, but its generation demands energy-intensive processes and is dependent on nonrenewable substrates. This work describes a continuous biological method for investigating the nitrogenase-mediated carbon monoxide reductive coupling involved in ethylene production using whole cells of Azotobacter vinelandii . If eventually adopted by industry, this technology has the potential to significantly reduce the total energy input required and the ethylene recovery costs, as well as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with current production strategies.