New Artificial Photosynthesis Process Can Grow Plants in the Dark
2022-07-04
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1Scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis process that can grow plants in the dark.
2The process is designed to provide a new way to produce food as worldwide demand grows.
3Photosynthesis involves plants taking in energy from the sun to produce life-supporting carbon and oxygen.
4The process is important to support the growth of many plants.
5But scientists have estimated that only about 1 percent of energy from the sun is actually captured by plants that produce food.
6Researchers report in a new study that the artificial photosynthesis method they developed performed up to 18 times more efficiently in growing some foods.
7And the process can be carried out in complete darkness.
8Results of the study recently appeared in the publication Nature Food.
9The research team included members from the University of California Riverside and the University of Delaware.
10Researchers used an "electrolyzer system" to turn carbon dioxide, electricity and water into acetate.
11Acetate is the main compound found in many household products, including vinegar.
12The electrolyzer process effectively turned 57 percent of carbon molecules in carbon dioxide into acetate, University of Delaware researchers said in a statement.
13The resulting acetate mixture was then used as food to grow plants in the dark.
14The researchers experimented with nine different food plants.
15These included lettuce, rice, peas, tomatoes, pepper and tobacco.
16The team reported that all these plants were able to take in carbon from the acetate.
17Experiments were also carried out with algae, yeast and a fungus that produces mushrooms.
18The study found that, for algae, the process was four times more efficient than growing the material photosynthetically with sunlight.
19And yeast production was 18 times more efficient than the usual process involving sugar collected from corn.
20Lettuce produced the best results from artificial photosynthesis out of all the food crops tested.
21"We were able to grow food-producing organisms without any contributions from biological photosynthesis," said the co-writer of the study, Elizabeth Hann.
22She is a doctoral candidate at UC Riverside's Jinkerson Lab.
23Hann added that the process is much more efficient at turning energy into food than the biological photosynthesis methods, which have taken place for millions of years.
24The researchers also reported that the process increased energy efficiency, too.
25When used together with a solar cell to power the electrolyzer, the method required just one-fourth the energy to grow the same amount of food created by sunlight and natural photosynthesis.
26The scientists said their method could help fight the effects of climate change that are making traditional crop-growing more difficult.
27"Drought, floods and reduced land availability would be less of a threat to global food security if crops for humans and animals grew in less resource-intensive, controlled environments," the researchers noted.
28Robert Jinkerson is a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UC Riverside.
29He said growing foods through artificial photosynthesis could help the world meet its rising demand for food without the expansion of agricultural lands.
30"Using solar energy to power our process could allow for more food or animal feed to be produced on a given area of land," Jinkerson said.
31The researchers said they plan to continue improving the electrolyzer system to produce a more effective acetate mixture.
32They also want to explore ways to possibly bioengineer plants that grow completely on acetate.
33I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis process that can grow plants in the dark. The process is designed to provide a new way to produce food as worldwide demand grows. 2Photosynthesis involves plants taking in energy from the sun to produce life-supporting carbon and oxygen. The process is important to support the growth of many plants. 3But scientists have estimated that only about 1 percent of energy from the sun is actually captured by plants that produce food. 4Researchers report in a new study that the artificial photosynthesis method they developed performed up to 18 times more efficiently in growing some foods. And the process can be carried out in complete darkness. 5Results of the study recently appeared in the publication Nature Food. The research team included members from the University of California Riverside and the University of Delaware. 6Researchers used an "electrolyzer system" to turn carbon dioxide, electricity and water into acetate. Acetate is the main compound found in many household products, including vinegar. 7The electrolyzer process effectively turned 57 percent of carbon molecules in carbon dioxide into acetate, University of Delaware researchers said in a statement. The resulting acetate mixture was then used as food to grow plants in the dark. 8The researchers experimented with nine different food plants. These included lettuce, rice, peas, tomatoes, pepper and tobacco. The team reported that all these plants were able to take in carbon from the acetate. 9Experiments were also carried out with algae, yeast and a fungus that produces mushrooms. The study found that, for algae, the process was four times more efficient than growing the material photosynthetically with sunlight. And yeast production was 18 times more efficient than the usual process involving sugar collected from corn. 10Lettuce produced the best results from artificial photosynthesis out of all the food crops tested. 11"We were able to grow food-producing organisms without any contributions from biological photosynthesis," said the co-writer of the study, Elizabeth Hann. She is a doctoral candidate at UC Riverside's Jinkerson Lab. 12Hann added that the process is much more efficient at turning energy into food than the biological photosynthesis methods, which have taken place for millions of years. 13The researchers also reported that the process increased energy efficiency, too. When used together with a solar cell to power the electrolyzer, the method required just one-fourth the energy to grow the same amount of food created by sunlight and natural photosynthesis. 14The scientists said their method could help fight the effects of climate change that are making traditional crop-growing more difficult. 15"Drought, floods and reduced land availability would be less of a threat to global food security if crops for humans and animals grew in less resource-intensive, controlled environments," the researchers noted. 16Robert Jinkerson is a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UC Riverside. He said growing foods through artificial photosynthesis could help the world meet its rising demand for food without the expansion of agricultural lands. 17"Using solar energy to power our process could allow for more food or animal feed to be produced on a given area of land," Jinkerson said. 18The researchers said they plan to continue improving the electrolyzer system to produce a more effective acetate mixture. They also want to explore ways to possibly bioengineer plants that grow completely on acetate. 19I'm Bryan Lynn. 20Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from UC Riverside, the University of Delaware and Nature Food. 21We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 22____________________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24artificial - adj. not natural, but made by people 25efficient - adj. working well and not wasting time or energy 26vinegar - n. a sour, acidic liquid that is often used in food preparation 27fungus - n. a kind of plant without leaves that gets its food from other living or delaying things 28contribution - n. something used to help produce or develop something or help make it successful 29solar - adj. relating to or involving the sun 30drought - n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain 31allow - v. to permit