Electrolithoautotroph

An electrolithoautotroph is an organism which feeds on electricity. These organisms use electricity to convert carbon dioxide into organic matter by using electrons directly taken from solid-inorganic electron donors.<ref name="frontier">Takumi, Ishii; Satoshi, Kawaichi; Hirotaka, Nakagawa; Kazuhito, Hashimoto; Ryuhei, Nakamura (2015). "From chemolithoautotrophs to electrolithoautotrophs: CO₂ fixation by Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria coupled with direct uptake of electrons from solid electron sources". Front. Microbiol. 6: 994. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.00994. PMC 4593280. PMID 26500609.</ref> Electrolithoautotrophs are microorganisms which are found in the deep crevices of the ocean. The warm, mineral-rich environment provides a rich source of nutrients. The electron source for carbon assimilation from diffusible Fe²⁺ ions to an electrode under the condition that electrical current is the only source of energy and electrons.<ref name="frontier" /> Electrolithoautotrophs form a third metabolic pathway compared to photosynthesis (plants converting light into sugar) and chemosynthesis (bacteria converting chemical energy into food).<ref name="riken">"A bacteria's double life: living off both iron and electricity". Riken News. December 16, 2015.</ref>