Microbiologist Prof Frank Sargent of Dundee University and C1net member has been investigating E.coli, carbon capture and bioenergy.
A bacterium best known for closing hospitals and schools is being hailed as a potential ally in the fight against climate change, after successful experiments at the University of Dundee.
Despite its sinister reputation for causing disease and food poisoning, e-coli is already widely used in biotech and microbiology.
Now scientists at Dundee’s Institute for Life Sciences have discovered that it can be used to capture carbon dioxide – with immediate potential for reducing the carbon impact of many industries, and a longer term hope that it could be put to work in reducing damaging CO2 emissions from heavier industries such as steel production.