Microbial metabolism driven by nanobiohybrids via electromagnetic induction

Microorganisms sustain biogeochemical cycles via metabolically driven redox reactions that require essential external energy. Beyond conventional chemotrophy and phototrophy, many microorganisms remain metabolically active under extreme energy limitation, suggesting the existence of alternative energy acquisition strategies. Magnetic fields are pervasive in both natural and engineered environments, yet their potential as direct drivers of microbial metabolism remains unresolved. Here we demonstrate that microbial activity can be driven via electromagnetic induction as an energy conversion pathway under a dynamic magnetic field (DMF). Nanobiohybrids comprising Thiobacillus denitrificans and graphite nanosheets generated an electromotive force under DMF, enabling bio-denitrification with water as the electron donor. Comparable induction-driven processes were also observed in carbon and sulphur cycling, as well as pollutant degradation. These findings identify electromagnetic induction as a previously unrecognized mechanism enabling microbial energy conversion and reveal a mode of magnetic control over metabolism, with broad implications for biogeochemistry, bioenergy, and environmental technologies.