Enzymatic Bioelectrosynthetic Ammonia Production: Recent Electrochemistry of Nitrogenase, Nitrate Reductase, and Nitrite Reductase.

As an essential component of amino acids and nucleic acids, nitrogen (N) is a key element of life. For atmospheric (dinitrogen, N ) and environmental (nitrate and nitrite, NO and NO ) sources of N to be utilized in amino acid synthesis in various forms of life, it must first be reduced to ammonia (NH ). The Haber-Bosch process, in which N is reduced to NH at elevated temperature and pressure, represents a major NH production process that has had a great impact on the agricultural crop industry. This Minireview discusses the recent electrochemistry of three key enzymes of the global biogeochemical N cycle (nitrogenase, nitrate reductase, and nitrite reductase), in view of moving toward the creation of alternative NH production biotechnologies.