Chemosynthesis

The term chemosynthesis is in biology a synonym for Chemolithoautotrophie and was formed in analogy to describe photosynthesis.

While light is used as an energy source for the construction of organic substances in photosynthesis, resulting in chemosynthesis an exergonic chemical reaction to energy gain. In both cases the obtained chemical energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH ) is stored, and organic substances are formed of inorganic materials, which is referred to as primary production of organic substances.

Examples of living things are chemoautotrophic

  • Sulfur bacteria ( oxidation of hydrogen sulfide H 2 S ), for example in sewage
  • Nitrifying bacteria ( ammonia oxidizing NH3 and oxidation of nitrite NO2 - ), such as agricultural soils
  • Iron bacteria ( oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron, Fe2 Fe3 ), e.g. in arable drainage tubes
  • Anaerobic methane bacteria ( conversion of hydrogen H2 with carbon dioxide CO2 and methane CH4 to H2O water ), eg in biogas plants
Sulfur-reducing bacteria Sewage farm
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