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Photovoltaic bacteria


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It seems that cadmium is seeded into bacterial culture and then the cadmium is crystallised, as a sulfide compound, on the surface in the form of semi conductors. The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here.  How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?) and what is the use of the acetate which is made as a photosynthetic product?  IMHO, this is exciting but at the first stage of making a useable fuel source for humans.

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5 minutes ago, jimmydasaint said:

The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here.  How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?)

0.1 parts per million (the 65th most common element). A bigger problem is that it is extremely toxic. It has been replaced in nearly all of the industrial uses it had in the past.

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Thanks for that quick answer.  Of course, heavy metals are required for the photochemisynthetic method. That makes it a health and safety hazard then and so unlikely to be used unless there is a secondary reaction where the acetate made is converted into a carbon-based fuel.  That is  a whole new field of investigation. 

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