'Environmental Electric Ecosystem', a novel biomass production system

在这项研究中，我形成了环境电生态系统存在的工作假说，其中一些微生物利用环境中远程氧化还原反应产生的电流。通过对深海热液喷口周围的矿物电性、矿物催化特性、热液和海水中的氧化还原电位以及现场发电试验等的分析，揭示了深海热液喷口周围存在环境电流，并发现在这种环境电流作用下，微生物附着在矿物表面。由于天气恶劣，我们无法在深海电流下实现微生物的长期培养。然而，在实验室对目前使用的微生物进行增菌培养方面，未来的进展是光明的。

In this study, I formed the working hypothesis of existence of 'Environmental Electric Ecosystem', in which some microorganisms use electric current produced by remote oxidation-reduction reactions in the environment. The purpose of the study was solution of the amount and mechanism of the Environmental Electric Ecosystem.Through the study subject, we showed that environmental electric current occurred around the deep-sea hydrothermal vents, by analyses of mineral electrical property, mineral catalytic characterization, oxidation-reduction potential in hydrothermal fluid and seawater, and on-site power generation examination, etc. Furthermore, we also showed that microbes adheres to the mineral surface under this environmental electric current. We were not able to realize the long-term microbial cultivation under the deep-sea electrical current because of bad weather. However, future progress is promising about the enrichment cultivation of the current use microbes in the laboratory.