ENGINEERING NITROGENASE FOR PLANETARY SUSTAINABILITY: RENEWABLE-POWERED BIOHYBRID AMMONIA AND THE ROAD BEYOND HABER–BOSCH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46754/ps.2026.01.005Keywords:
Nitrogen fixation, nitrogenase, biofertiliser, biohybrid systems, sustainable agriculture.Abstract
The Haber–Bosch process made synthetic ammonia abundant and helped feed a growing population, but it also created a sustainability debt: Substantial fossil-energy demand, significant CO2 emissions, and pervasive nitrogen losses that drive eutrophication and N2O emissions. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is attractive because nitrogenase reduces N2 to NH3 at ambient conditions, yet the enzyme’s oxygen lability, complex metallocluster biosynthesis, and high energy demand complicate implementation beyond its native microbial contexts. This review synthesises three routes to reduce fertiliser dependence: Engineered nitrogen-fixing biofertilisers that excrete ammonium; plant-centred strategies that extend symbiosis or express nitrogenase components in organelles; and, purified nitrogenase or biohybrid systems powered by renewable electricity or light. We emphasise biohybrid devices because they decompose the challenge into modular interfaces (enzyme, power, microreactor environment) but require credible solutions for wiring, stability, continuous operation, and product capture. Across routes, protein engineering for stability, interface tolerance, and electron delivery is a shared enabling lever for system-level impact.
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