chemolithotroph

Chemolithotrophs are organisms, primarily bacteria, that obtain energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds. They use carbon dioxide as their sole source of carbon and synthesize all their cellular components from it. These organisms are autotrophs, meaning they produce their own food, unlike heterotrophs which consume organic matter.

Chemolithotrophs play a crucial role in various biogeochemical cycles. For example, some bacteria oxidize ammonia to nitrite, while others convert nitrite to nitrate. Still others oxidize sulfur compounds or ferrous ions. This process generates energy through oxidation-reduction reactions, which is then used to fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules, similar to how plants use sunlight for energy in photosynthesis.12