An example of hydrogenotrophy is performed by carbon dioxide-reducing organisms[1] which use CO2 and H2 to produce methane (CH4) by the following reaction: Other hydrogenotrophic metabolic pathways include acetogenesis, sulfate reduction, and other hydrogen oxidizing bacteria.
[3] Hydrogenotrophic bacteria were first experimented with by NASA in the 1960s in order to find a replenishable food source.
[4] Hydrogenotrophic bacteria have been found to have a high protein and carbohydrate content and have been a guiding principle in developing sustainable agricultural methods.
[citation needed] Experimentation has revealed that hydrogenotrophic bacteria can convert carbon dioxide into food more rapidly than plants, making them an efficient and sustainable alternative to implement into plant-based high-protein diets and as a substitute in products that use plant extracts and oils.
[6] Hydrogenotrophs are commonly found in the human gut, along with other fermentative bacteria which live in symbiosis with one another.