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GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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PUBLIC SUMMARY
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Microbial carbon utilization is fundamental to green biomanufacturing.
Enhancing the microbial ability and efficiency is crucial for the development of biomanufacturing.
Optimizing the ways to obtain carbon sources is an effective strategy to improve environmental benefits.
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ABSTRACT
Microbial utilization of diverse carbon sources presents transformative potential for sustainable green biomanufacturing. This review examines ten distinct carbon sources including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formic acid, sugars, aromatic compounds, acetic acid, glycerol, fatty acids, methanol, and methane, with an emphasis on their degree of reduction. We discuss their origins, bioconversion, and practical advantages and limitations, while also evaluating their technical feasibility and sustainability trade-offs. Finally, a comparative life-cycle assessment quantifies the climate impact of microbial utilization of these carbon sources for bioethanol production. Notably, the production of carbon sources contributes the most significant environmental impact, emphasizing the importance of optimizing carbon source acquisition pathways for sustainable green biomanufacturing. The integration of microbial carbon metabolism into biomanufacturing frameworks, enhancement of biorefinery strategies, and collaboration with geographical distributions of various resources emerge as pivotal strategies for advancing circular economies, mitigating climate change, and fostering resource-efficient production systems. This synthesis underscores the critical role of carbon source selection in aligning microbial processes with global sustainability goals. -
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Wang F., Wu T., Wang L., et al. (2025). Microbial carbon utilization for a sustainable future. The Innovation Life 3:100159. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-life.2025.100159
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Wang F., Wu T., Wang L., et al. (2025). Microbial carbon utilization for a sustainable future. The Innovation Life 3:100159. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-life.2025.100159
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Figure 1.
Degree of reduction (γ) and relationships of common carbon sources for microorganisms, Val refers the valence of carbon.
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Figure 2.
Microbial CO2 fixation.
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Figure 3.
Microbial carbon monoxide (CO) and formic acid utilization.
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Figure 4.
Sugars and aromatic compounds as fermentation carbon sources
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Figure 5.
Microbial acetic acid utilization
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Figure 6.
Microbial glycerol utilization
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Figure 7.
Microbial fatty acids, methanol and methane utilization pathways
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Figure 8.
Environmental impacts of six carbon sources for production of 1 kg of bioethanol
