Chinese scientists have created amino acids – the basic building blocks of life – using only air and water through an environmentally friendly new method.
According to SCMP, researchers at a laboratory in Hefei, Anhui Province, southeastern China, have produced amino acids solely from air and water.
Project leader, scientist Zeng Jie from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), stated that the research also demonstrates the potential to produce more complex molecules, such as proteins.
Amino acids, which are the fundamental components of proteins, play a crucial role in living organisms, and researchers have sought to synthesize glycine – the simplest and most stable amino acid.
Traditional methods for synthesizing glycine primarily rely on petroleum-derived products like aldehydes and cyanides. These methods are not only energy-intensive but also generate substantial waste, harming the environment.
The essential elements of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen for amino acids can all be sourced from carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen gas, and oxygen in the air.
Chinese scientists synthesize glycine – the simplest and most stable amino acid – using only air and water. (Photo: SCMP).
In the study, Chinese researchers developed an electrochemical catalytic process starting from air, paving the way for a greener method of amino acid synthesis.
Many scientists believe that life on Earth originated from chemical reactions in the atmosphere, with lightning providing energy to drive the synthesis of amino acids from air and water. As reactions became more complex, they eventually transformed inanimate matter into complex living forms.
In the Miller-Urey experiment of 1952, scientists at the University of Chicago (USA) simulated the primordial atmosphere of Earth by mixing water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen in a container and using electric discharges to mimic natural lightning. After a week, they discovered several amino acids in the final product.
“The 1952 experiment simulated the process of generating primitive life molecules, but produced a mixture containing several amino acids,” said scientist Zeng. “Our experiment achieved the directed synthesis of a single amino acid – glycine – through an innovative process.”
The synthesis process includes three main components: converting carbon dioxide, fixing nitrogen gas, and targeting carbon-nitrogen bonding.
First, carbon dioxide is converted into oxalic acid, which is then reduced to glyoxylic acid; nitrogen gas is synthesized into ammonia and subsequently into hydroxylamine, which spontaneously reacts with glyoxylic acid through electrochemical reduction to produce glycine.
Each step involves specific catalysts and reaction equipment. “For example, the nitrogen fixation step uses a lithium-mediated method, leveraging the reaction of lithium metal to convert inert nitrogen into lithium nitride and then into ammonia,” explained scientist Zeng, adding that this method is similar to how lithium batteries operate through chemical reactions.
After less than a day of continuous electrolysis, the research team synthesized approximately 5.16 grams (0.18 ounces) of high-purity solid glycine in the lab using only air and water.
The research team was very pleased with the results. Zeng stated, “Conventional organic synthesis reactions produce products measured in milligrams, but we generated enough glycine to hold in your hand.”
The research results were peer-reviewed and published at the end of August in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
This study not only supports theories about the origin of life but also provides an environmentally friendly synthesis method – generating no pollution with an energy efficiency of 5.9%, compared to the typical 2-3% efficiency of natural plant photosynthesis.
Zeng’s team also experimented with using carbon dioxide to chemically and biologically synthesize glucose.
“We chose glycine for its simpler structure among amino acids. Our team can explore the synthesis process of more complex amino acids from natural materials in the future,” he said. “By combining glucose and amino acids, the most basic biological molecules, we have the opportunity to explore the synthesis of more complex biomolecules, which is immensely significant for life.”
