Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is the extremophile microorganism that was found in the white continent that would be useful to generate renewable energy.

Dr Iván Ñancucheo leads a group of researchers that found the extremophile microorganism in the Antarctic, which would be useful to generate renewable energy.

Iván Ñancucheo is a professor of the Masters in Innovation in Bioscience and Bioengineering, as well as the leader of a group of researchers that has made an important discovery in the Antarctic: an extremophile microorganism called Acidithiaobacillus ferrivorans, which would be useful to generate renewable energy.

During the years of research, there has always been hope that innovating projects could be developed in the Antarctic, and, in this case, it would be useful to generate electricity, and help in the water purification processes of the mining industry. At least this is what the researcher expects.

Ñancucheo explained that they have isolated microorganism Acidithiaobacillus Ferrivorans, which has the capacity of growing in low temperature and high acidity, two conditions that represent a significant progress in the search of candidates that could be used in energy generation systems or even water treatment in mining processes.

The project is called “Isolation and characterisation of extremophile microorganisms from the Antarctic, with applicability in low temperature microbial fuel cells” and it is financed by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACh) by way of a Regular Research competition. The professor of Universidad San Sebastián leads the group made up by 5 scientists, of which 2 belong to the University of Queensland, Australia, and 2 belong to the Argentinian Antarctic Institute.

Ñancucheo explained that the objective of the research is to isolate and characterise the extremophile microorganisms, that is, those that live in environments that other organisms would normally not tolerate, in this case, 1°C and acid conditions. He added that these organisms must be able to conduct the electric current in order to be used in energy creation systems, called biological batteries.

These batteries could be used as sources of renewable energy and even could feed on toxic waste coming from oil and nuclear sources, generating electricity that would help towards decontamination.

How did he find it? The researcher identified the microorganism thanks to molecular biology tools, with the support of a laboratory from South Korea, given that national laboratories are closed due to the pandemic.

Doctor Ñancucheo explained that the microorganism is isolated in the extremophile microbiology laboratory of Universidad San Sebastián and then the DNA is extracted. That material is sent to Korea and by way of IT tools, we analyse the results on a computing platform.

The first campaign was carried out in December 2019 on King George Island, where two sites, with similar characteristics to that of a stream, with iron and extremely acidic, which then flow towards the sea, were sampled. This phenomenon is known as acid rock drainage and its presence in the Antarctic is still unknown by the scientific world.

Iván Ñancucheo detailed that Mariana Cove was sampled in the first stage, close to the impressive Collins Glacier, which has acid rock drainage. This place is 45 minutes from INACh base Profesor Julio Escudero, in the heart of Villa Las Estrellas. Iván Ñancucheo added that the second site was Cardozo Cove, close to polish base Henryck Artowski, located 5 hours from Villa Las Estrellas.

The researcher hopes to carry out the second campaign between December 2020 and January 2021, but it will depend on the progress of the sanitary conditions. He stated that, currently, Villa Las Estrellas is free of Covid-19 and there are strict entry rules to King George Island.