Electrolithoautotroph

An electrolithoautotroph is an organism which feeds on electricity. These organisms use electricity to convert carbon dioxide into organic matter by using electrons directly taken from solid-inorganic electron donors.^[1] Electrolithoautotrophs are microorganisms which are found in the deep crevices of the ocean. The warm, mineral-rich environment provides a rich source of nutrients. The electron source for carbon assimilation from diffusible Fe²⁺ ions to an electrode under the condition that electrical current is the only source of energy and electrons.^[1] Electrolithoautotrophs form a third metabolic pathway compared to photosynthesis (plants converting light into sugar) and chemosynthesis (bacteria converting chemical energy into food).^[2]

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