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熊猫粪含强大细菌或可拯救地球已有18人参与
据英国媒体报道,熊猫给人的印象整个就一吃货,每天大部分时间都跟竹子“较劲”去了;另外还不愿交配繁殖后代,导致该“活化石”面临灭绝的境地。不过,科学家近日发现,熊猫的粪便中含有一种强大的细菌,可以帮助生产新一代生物燃料,解决未来地球的能源危机。该发现也凸显了生物多样性以及拯救濒危物种的重要性。
可帮助生产生物燃料
科学家称,在分解粗糙的植物材料(木质纤维素)方面,这种菌类的效率是最高的,比该领域所有现有技术都要强。木质纤维素在玉米杆、木屑以及竹子中都有,分解这种材料是提取酒精时很必要的过程,酒精可以用来作生物燃料。研究表明,在适当的条件下,熊猫粪便中的细菌可以把95%的植物量转化为单糖,而单糖可以进一步合成燃料。引导此项研究的密西西比州立大学生物化学家安士利·布朗说,“谁都没想到,熊猫的排泄物竟然能帮助人们克服生产生物燃料的一个主要障碍。”
效率超高经济实用
在野外,熊猫的食物99%是竹子,偶尔也吃草、块茎或者小动物的肉。由于祖先是食肉动物,因此仍然保留着肉食者的消化系统,这样它们从进食中吸收的能量很少。平均每只成年大熊猫每天要吃9到14公斤的竹笋,最高排泄40次。
科学家称,这种细菌效率很高,完全可以放弃目前生物燃料生产中所采取的高热、强酸、高压等手段,这些手段成本高,还很费时。科学家计划分离出让该细菌如此强大的基因,之后将基因移入酵母中。这样,就可以进行大规模的生产,进而帮助到整个生物燃料工业。
The scientists were part of a panel at the American Chemical Society convention in Denver. “It’s probably one of the most pleasant forms of fecal matter to work with,” said Ashley Brown, one of the researchers. “We have worked with other poo and this has almost a sweet aroma associated with it.”
She and Candice Williams are working with microbes found in the Panda’s excretions that enable the genetically defined carnivore to live out its herbivorous lifestyle.
“If we can make this into something more efficient at breaking cellulose down, we’ll lower the cost and make biofuel cost effective,” Brown added. “We hope it sends the message that – don’t think twice – everything on the Earth is important.”
This news comes right on the heels of Tulane University’s announcement last week that researchers there have discovered a strain of bacteria that can turn newspaper into butanol.
Unlike other bacteria that accomplishes this feat, this microbial agent works in the presence of oxygen. It was also found in a dung heap and is identified as TU-103 in honor of the institution.
“Cellulose is found in all green plants, and is the most abundant organic material on earth, and converting it into butanol is the dream of many,” said Harshad Velankar, a postdoctoral fellow in David Mullin’s lab in Tulane’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. “In the United States alone, at least 323 million tons of cellulosic materials that could be used to produce butanol are thrown out each year.”
Butanol is more energy-dense that other biofuels and can be used in your combustion engine with no modification. Add to that the fact it burns a bit cleaner.
“This discovery could reduce the cost to produce bio-butanol,” said Mullin. “In addition to possible savings on the price per gallon, as a fuel, bio-butanol produced from cellulose would dramatically reduce carbon dioxide and smog emissions in comparison to gasoline, and have a positive impact on landfill waste.”
What they’re not saying is with this process we may eventually make fuel from ditch weeds and if there’s anything we have a surplus of it’s weeds.
Science marches on in the quest to fuel our cars. |
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