The following is the entire text of my letter to the editdor: "Reducing greenhouse gases using photosynthesis":
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and some bacteria and Protistans use the energy from sunlight (photons) to produce carbohydrates specifically sugars.
Here is the equation we were taught in high school biology:
6CO2 + 6H2O ------------- C6H12O6 + 6O2
Not only is the greenhouse gas (CO2) trapped by this natural process but 2 nutrients essential for human survival are produced- oxygen for normal breathing and glucose without which our brains could not function. Polymerisation is the process by which plants can form long chains of sugars molecules called polysaccharides like the starches found in potatoes. Some polymerization are only diamers, like sucrose -common name for sugar and consisting of glucose and fructose and lactose-milk sugar- a diamer of glucose and galactose.
When I look at this equation again I see other potentials like fermentation and the production of ethanol. At present our brewer industry seem to be just reversing the process of polymerisation to again produce glucose. Maybe by trapping the glucose produced by photosynthesis we can convert this glucose to C2H5OH (ethanol) before polymerisation sets in. If this were possible not only brewers but gas companies may have a process to generate an alternate bio-fuel instead of using the corn fields of Iowa or the sugar canes of Brazil and Cuba to generate ethanol. With further research in these areas of carbon dioxide trapping we might even be able to pipe our green house gases directly from our polluting factories into our forests and/or polluted lakes ; or alternatively release it from liquid CO2 tanks on board our boats as we go fishing in our polluted waters.
Note: I am publishing this on my blog for 3 reasons:
1. Expand viewers: Because over the years I have found that many of my “letters to the editor “ are never published also hoping that this message will reach a broader audience including our politicians who seem to be advocating trapping carbon dioxide underground.
2. Altruistic: to save our planet by discouraging the destruction of the Brazilian and and other rain forests.
3. Selfish: I hope that blogging gives me the patent rights for these ideas.
1. Expand viewers: Because over the years I have found that many of my “letters to the editor “ are never published also hoping that this message will reach a broader audience including our politicians who seem to be advocating trapping carbon dioxide underground.
2. Altruistic: to save our planet by discouraging the destruction of the Brazilian and and other rain forests.
3. Selfish: I hope that blogging gives me the patent rights for these ideas.
Dr. Semeon B. Hrushovetz Feb. 16, 2009
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