Light-driven nitrous oxide production via autotrophic denitrification by self-photosensitized Thiobacillus denitrificans

N2O (Nitrous oxide, a booster oxidant in rockets) has attracted increasing interest as a means of enhancing energy production, and it can be produced by nitrate (NO3−) reduction in NO3−-loading wastewater. However, conventional denitrification processes are often limited by the lack of bioavailable electron donors. In this study, we innovatively propose a self-photosensitized nonphototrophic Thiobacillus denitrificans (T. denitrificans-CdS) that is capable of NO3− reduction and N2O production driven by light. The system converted >72.1 ± 1.1% of the NO3−-N input to N2ON, and the ratio of N2O-N in gaseous products was >96.4 ± 0.4%. The relative transcript abundance of the genes encoding the denitrifying proteins in T. denitrificans-CdS after irradiation was significantly upregulated. The photoexcited electrons acted as the dominant electron sources for NO3− reduction by T. denitrificans-CdS. This study provides the first proof of concept for sustainable and low-cost autotrophic denitrification to generate N2O driven by light. The findings also have strong implications for sustainable environmental management because the sunlight-triggered denitrification reaction driven by nonphototrophic microorganisms may widely occur in nature, particularly in a semiconductive mineral-enriched aqueous environment. [Display omitted] •It is the first proof of concept evidence for nonphototrophic denitrification driven by light.•The system converts NO3− to N2O with a purity >96%.•A high quantum efficiency of 2.0% in light-driven nitrate reduction is achieved.•Photoexcited electrons are the dominant electron source for denitrification in this system.