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Green living paint’ produces oxygen and captures carbon dioxide
Researchers have created a paint containing living cyanobacteria that produces oxygen and can capture carbon dioxide. The bacteria’s ability to withstand extreme environments means this novel paint could be used in a range of applications, including outer space.
The rise in greenhouse gases and the resulting climate crisis have led scientists to think outside of the box when it comes to sequestering carbon dioxide. We’ve already seen cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, proposed as a component of new, green materials because of their photosynthetic properties.
Cyanobacteria fix carbon dioxide to transform it, via photosynthesis, into organic compounds and can do so with high efficiency in adverse environments. Moreover, they grow quickly and can be genetically modified in most cases.
Now, researchers from the University of Surrey in the UK have developed an oxygen-producing, carbon dioxide-absorbing water-based paint containing a species of cyanobacteria, something they’re calling 'green living paint.'
“With the increase in greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere and concerns about water shortages due to rising global temperatures, we need innovative, environmentally friendly, and sustainable materials,” said Suzie Hingley-Wilson, corresponding author of the study. “Mechanically robust, ready-to-use biocoatings, or ‘living paints,’ could help meet these challenges by reducing water consumption in typically water-intensive bioreactor-based processes.”
The researchers set out to immobilize metabolically active – viable – cyanobacteria in a porous yet mechanically hard coating to fix carbon and evolve oxygen. They compared three species of cyanobacteria and found that Chroococcidiopsis cubana performed the best. C. cubana is a strain that’s ‘extremophilic,’ meaning it can withstand extreme temperatures and pH levels, high salt concentrations, arid environments, and radiation.
The process was relatively simple. The researchers immobilized the cyanobacteria in a biocoating made from polymer particles in water, which was fully dried and rehydrated. They found that, compared to the other species used, the Chroococcidiopsis remained viable, and the rate of oxygen production steadily rose, reaching maximum levels of 0.4 g of oxygen per gram of biomass per day. Continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen over a month showed no sign of decreasing activity. They estimated that carbon capture was 0.31 g of carbon dioxide per gram of biomass per day.
The researchers say their findings suggest that extremophilic cyanobacteria are ideal candidates for use in biocoatings and other biotechnology, including in outer space.
“The photosynthetic Chroococcidiopsis have an extraordinary ability to survive in extreme environments, like droughts and after high levels of UV radiation exposure,” said Simone Krings, the study’s lead author. “This makes them potential candidates for Mars colonization.”
Future research will concentrate on optimizing the use of this strain of cyanobacteria as a biocoating.
注释：
cyanobacteria: n
表示" 蓝细菌"
sequester: v
表示"扣押; 使 ... 隔绝；隐退"，means "keep away from others"，如：The Queen's royal guard will sequester him until the day of his trial. 女王的忠诚守卫将把他单独囚禁直到审讯。The retired film star sequestered herself from the world. 这位退休的影星过着隐居的生活。
photosynthetic: adj
表示" 光合的"，means "relating to or using or formed by photosynthesis"，如：photosynthetic capacity 光合能力
photosynthesis: n
表示"光合作用"
robust：adj
表示" 强健的；稳固的"，如：She was almost 90, but still very robust. 她将近90岁了，但身体仍然十分强健。
immobilize: v
表示" 使不能（调）动；使固定"，means "to hold fast or prevent from moving"，如：This alarm immobilizes the car. 这种警报一发出，汽车就停止不动了。
extremophilic: adj
表示" 极端"，如：extremophilic microorganisms 极端微生物
viable: adj
表示" 能生存的；可行的"，如：How can philosophy of education be both viable and good? 为何教育哲学能够独立生存并且很好地发展?
biomass: n
表示" 生物量"，如：The weight of living organisms is called biomass. 生物有机体的重量称为生物量
colonization: n
表示" 殖民；殖民地化"，如：Requirements for colonization now reported in more helpful order. 殖民条件显示得比较有序。
Chroococcidiopsis cubana: n
表示"古巴色球菌"
中文简要说明：
温室气体的增加，正在引发的气候危机，促使各产业一直在推广减碳节能，建筑业有所谓的「绿色建筑」，意思是污染小、耗能少。不过科学家的创意不只如此，他们刚刚提出一种掺入蓝绿菌的涂料，能够行光合作用，捕获二氧化碳并制造氧气，是真正意义的是绿能涂料。
新阿特拉斯(New Altas)报导，蓝绿菌(Cyanobacteria)，也称蓝菌，旧称蓝绿藻，是地球上最古老的光合作用生物之一，因此它也可能也是地球上出现氧气的始作俑者。在地球还是高温、高辐射的极端环境时，蓝绿菌已经出现。
英国萨里大学(University of Surrey)的研究人员将一种蓝菌加入水性涂料当中，他们将这个发明称之为「绿色活性涂料」。
该研究的通讯作者威尔森(Suzie Hingley-Wilson)表示：「随着大气中温室气体（尤其是二氧化碳）的增加，以及全球气温上升导致的水资源短缺问题，我们需要创新、环保和可持续的材料。」
研究人员比较了三种蓝菌的效果，结果发现古巴色球菌( Chroococcidiopsis cubana)表现最好，它可以承受极端温度、极端pH值、高盐浓度、干旱环境和辐射。
研究人员将蓝菌固定在由聚合物颗粒制成的生物涂料中，然后将其完全干燥，并重新水化。他们发现，古巴色球菌仍然具有活力，并且产氧率稳步上升，达到每天每克生物量 0.4 克氧气的最高水平。一个月来连续测量，他们估计每天每克生物质，捕碳量为0.31克二氧化碳。
研究人员表示，他们想到很多这种涂料的应用方法，宇宙飞船与太空基地是很不错的候选地点。该研究的主要作者西蒙娜•克林斯（Simone Krings）表示：「即使遇到辐射、紫外线，只要有一点气压，蓝菌依然能够存活并进行光合作用，涂在宇宙飞船里面，将可以使宇宙飞船舱里具有一定程度的空气净化与制氧能力，也使它们成为火星殖民的潜在候选者。」
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