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Scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China have made a breakthrough in synthetic chemistry, successfully synthesizing amino acids using only air and water as starting materials. The achievement could revolutionize the chemical industry, opening the way to environmentally friendly production, TASS reports with reference to the South China Morning Post.
Led by Dr. Zeng Jie, the research team developed an innovative method for the targeted synthesis of glycine, an essential amino acid. Using electrochemical catalysis, the researchers recreated natural atmospheric processes in the laboratory, simulating the formation of a thundercloud.
During the experiment, the scientists successively converted carbon dioxide first into oxalic acid, then into glyoxylic acid. At the same time, atmospheric nitrogen was transformed into ammonia and hydroxylamine. The final electrochemical reaction permitted to obtain more than 5 grams of pure glycine.
The research team does not plan to stop there and intends to expand the range of synthesized organic molecules. The developed technology opens up prospects for creating new generation productions that will not depend on petroleum products, will significantly reduce energy consumption and minimize the formation of hazardous waste.