How does hydrogen sulfide chemosynthesis work?

Hydrogen sulfide chemosynthesis is a biological process where microorganisms convert carbon dioxide and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide as an energy source instead of sunlight. This process predominates in dark environments like hydrothermal vents, where it can support entire ecosystems, such as giant tube worms that house symbiotic bacteria in their trophosomes. Instead of releasing oxygen like photosynthesis, the reaction produces water and solid globules of sulfur.

What we know

• Hydrogen sulfide chemosynthesis uses the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide as an energy source to convert carbon dioxide and nutrients into organic matter. [2, 3]
• The chemical reaction combines hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen to produce carbohydrates, water, and solid globules of sulfur. [3]
• Giant tube worms rely on symbiotic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in their trophosome to fix carbon dioxide using hydrogen sulfide. [3, 5]
• This form of chemosynthesis is predominant over photosynthesis in deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities due to the complete lack of sunlight. [3]

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat are hydrothermal vent microbial communities?
• a case in pointHow do giant tube worms survive without a digestive system?
• compared withHow does chemosynthesis compare to photosynthesis?
• whoWhat is the history of the discovery of hydrogen sulfide?
• an unexpected connectionCould anaerobic chemosynthesis support life on Europa?

Sources

• [1]chemosynthesis (Wikidata Q332410) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Chemosynthesis · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Hydrogen sulfide chemosynthesis · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Hydrogen sulfide · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Riftia · CC BY-SA 4.0