Biocement from the ocean: Hybrid microbial-electrochemical mineralization of CO2
Atsu Kludze,
Devan Solanki,
Marcelo Lejeune,
Rito Yanagi,
Momoko Ishii,
Neera Raychaudhuri,
Paul Anastas,
Nanette Boyle,
Shu Hu
Affiliations
Atsu Kludze
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Devan Solanki
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Marcelo Lejeune
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Rito Yanagi
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Momoko Ishii
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Neera Raychaudhuri
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
Paul Anastas
Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Nanette Boyle
Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA; Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA; Corresponding author
Shu Hu
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 are leading to rising global temperatures and extreme weather events. However, the most prominent method of removing CO2 via direct air capture remains cost-prohibitive. Oceans sequester carbon through several naturally occurring carbon dioxide removal (CDR) processes, one of which includes microorganisms that utilize dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in their metabolic processes. Atmospheric CO2 is in dynamic equilibrium with DIC at the ocean's surface. Thus, ocean-based CDR can function to capture carbon from the air indirectly. This work discusses a hybrid method that combines primary CO2 capture via the growth of autotrophic microorganisms (i.e., photosynthetic cyanobacteria) and microbially induced carbonate precipitation. Carbon fixation and carbonate precipitation can be co-optimized using bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) devices , which generate seawater with an adjustable pH. We examine the scale-up potential for naturally produced bio-carbonate composite material and compare its production with published ocean CDR strategies for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
