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Human Urine‐Fueled Light‐Driven NADH Regeneration for Redox Biocatalysis
Author(s) -
Choi Woo Seok,
Lee Sahng Ha,
Ko Jong Wan,
Park Chan Beum
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201600330
Subject(s) - photocathode , redox , biocatalysis , chemistry , overpotential , nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide , nicotinamide , catalysis , inorganic chemistry , nad+ kinase , combinatorial chemistry , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , enzyme , electron , reaction mechanism , physics , electrode , quantum mechanics
Human urine is considered as an alternative source of hydrogen and electricity owing to its abundance and high energy density. Here we show the utility of human urine as a chemical fuel for driving redox biocatalysis in a photoelectrochemical cell. Ni(OH) 2 ‐modified α‐Fe 2 O 3 is selected as a photoanode for the oxidation of urea in human urine and black silicon (bSi) is used as a photocathode material for nicotinamide cofactor (NADH: hydrogenated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) regeneration. The electrons extracted from human urine are used for the regeneration of NADH, an essential hydride mediator that is required for numerous redox biocatalytic reactions. The catalytic reactions at both the photoanode and the photocathode were significantly enhanced by light energy that lowered the overpotential and generated high currents in the full cell system.