Project Background
Climate change and global warming are among the most urgent environmental challenges facing the world today, primarily driven by excessive greenhouse gas emissions, especially the sharp increase in carbon dioxide . To achieve carbon neutrality, countries are actively seeking effective carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. Our project focuses on biological carbon capture using Shewanella, a microorganism capable of absorbing CO₂ through electron transfer reactions and converting it into calcium carbonate, creating a carbon sink. We believe that by combining biotechnology with electrochemical processes, we can contribute positively to global carbon reduction efforts.
Why Electrolysis Mineralizer?
We chose electrolysis mineralization as the core mechanism of our project because it offers an efficient, sustainable, and economical method of carbon capture. The electrolysis process not only promotes the growth and metabolism of microorganisms but also significantly enhances the efficiency of CO₂ absorption and conversion. Traditional carbon capture methods often rely on energy-intensive or complex chemical reactions, whereas electrolysis mineralization combines the environmental friendliness of biotechnology with the efficiency of electrochemical reactions, providing an innovative solution to the carbon emission problem.
To ensure the feasibility of our project, we reviewed relevant literature and news reports and compared our approach with several existing carbon sequestration methods. These conventional methods, such as geological sequestration, ocean storage, and industrial carbon capture and storage (CCS), while effective to some extent, generally face challenges like high costs, high energy consumption, environmental risks, and technical complexity. Literature reviews show that biological carbon capture can not only reduce energy consumption but also operate under environmentally friendly conditions. Furthermore, advances in synthetic biology are making microbial metabolic engineering more controllable and efficient, paving the way for large-scale applications in the future. Compared to traditional carbon capture methods, the use of synthetic biology for carbon sequestration can effectively reduce secondary environmental pollution and has the potential to integrate with other environmental measures, such as water management and ecological restoration, further enhancing environmental benefits.
| Carbon Sequestration Methods | Specific Examples | Comparison of Our Project |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement | California Calcium Carbonate Addition Project: By adding calcium carbonate to the ocean, this project increases seawater alkalinity to accelerate CO2 dissolution. | We solidify CO2 into calcium carbonate through microbial mineralization, avoiding the environmental disruptions caused by artificially adding alkaline substances to the ocean. This method ensures more stable and long-term sequestration. |
| Coastal Carbon Sequestration | Mikoko Pamoja in Kenya: This project captures atmospheric CO2 through the restoration of mangrove ecosystems. | Coastal carbon sequestration relies on the natural growth of plants to fix carbon, which is relatively inefficient. In contrast, we use synthetic biology to enable microorganisms to sequester CO2 rapidly and efficiently, achieving larger sequestration volumes that remain stable over time. |
| Artificial Upwelling | Hawaii Artificial Upwelling Experiment: By pumping nutrient-rich cold water from the deep sea, this experiment boosts phytoplankton productivity, indirectly capturing CO2. | Our approach directly sequesters CO2 through electro-synthesis and microbial mineralization. This process is more controllable, efficient, and not dependent on natural conditions. |
| Deep Ocean Carbon Transport | Japan Deep-Sea CO2 Sequestration Project: Liquid CO2 is injected into deep-sea sediment layers, utilizing the high-pressure environment for storage. | Deep-sea carbon transport is complex and costly. In our project, microorganisms directly convert CO2 into calcium carbonate, simplifying the sequestration process and making it safer, without the need for deep-sea transport or the risk of potential leaks. |
| Sedimentary Carbon Burial | Sleipner Project in the North Sea: Over 17 million tons of CO2 have been stored in subsea sediment layers. | Sedimentary carbon burial depends on geological conditions and could be affected by geological activities. By contrast, we generate stable solid calcium carbonate through microbial mineralization, making our sequestration safer and more reliable. | Oceanic Inorganic Carbon Reservoir | Malta Offshore Inorganic Carbon Storage Research: This study evaluates the capacity of seawater to store inorganic carbon. | The oceanic inorganic carbon reservoir depends on the natural carbon cycle, which is relatively slow. By utilizing microorganisms to accelerate mineralization, we rapidly convert CO2 into calcium carbonate, making it suitable for large-scale sequestration. |
IHP and Sustainable Development Goals
During the development of our project, Integrated Human Practices (IHP) became a key driver in continuously optimizing our technology and design. Through multiple interactions with university professors, experts from national key laboratories, the public, and related research teams, we refined our project based on external feedback, making it more practical and feasible. Additionally, our project aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
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SDG 13 (Climate Action): Our carbon capture technology directly aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to mitigate the global warming crisis.
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SDG 14 (Life Below Water): By incorporating carbon absorption studies in coral reefs and marine environments, we explored the potential of carbon capture technology in marine conservation.
Reference
1. Haszeldine, R. S. (2009). Carbon capture and storage: How green can black be?. Science, 325(5948), 1647-1652.
2. Lenton, T. M., & Vaughan, N. E. (2009). The radiative forcing potential of different climate geoengineering options. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 9(15), 5539-5561.
3. IPCC. (2005). Special report on carbon dioxide capture and storage. Cambridge University Press.
4. Metz, B., Davidson, O., de Coninck, H., Loos, M., & Meyer, L. (Eds.). (2005). Carbon dioxide capture and storage. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
5. House, K. Z., Schrag, D. P., Harvey, C. F., & Lackner, K. S. (2006). Permanent carbon dioxide storage in deep-sea sediments. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(33), 12291-12295.
6. Archer, D., & Brovkin, V. (2008). The millennial atmospheric lifetime of anthropogenic CO2. Climatic Change, 90(3), 283-297.
7. Kheshgi, H. S. (1995). Sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide by increasing ocean alkalinity. Energy, 20(9), 915-922.
8. Orr Jr, F. M. (2009). Onshore geologic storage of CO2. Science, 325(5948), 1656-1658.