TY - JOUR
T1 - Biologically-mediated carbon capture and utilization by microalgae towards sustainable CO2 biofixation and biomass valorization – A review
AU - Daneshvar, Ehsan
AU - Wicker, Rebecca J.
AU - Show, Pau Loke
AU - Bhatnagar, Amit
N1 - Funding Information:
Rebecca Wicker gratefully acknowledges financial support from Tekniikan Edistämissäätiö (Grant number: 7433 ). Additionally, icons in the graphical abstract and Figs. 1 and 3 have been sourced from www.flaticon.com . Special thanks to their creative team.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - The continuously rising emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a universal hazard which urgently requires collaborative action between policymakers and scientists. International treaties such as the Paris Agreement (with 196 signatories) reflect the importance of anthropogenic climate change as a truly global public concern. Towards the aim of climate recovery, the most broadly utilized CO2 reduction strategies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS); carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS); and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) are reviewed herein. Of these methods, CCU shows the greatest potential by recycling captured CO2 and harnessing it as a resource to generate emissions-neutral or -negative value-added products (VAPs). Within CCU methodologies, biologically-mediated CCU (bio-CCU) by microalgae is a promising biotechnology to drastically reduce CO2 emissions. This review therefore details the mechanisms of photosynthesis to sequester CO2 and incorporate it into valuable biomolecules. Microalgal cells utilize CO2 as precursors of macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and pigments; all of which are discussed within the frame of industrial relevance and market value. The biofixation potential of microalgae is clearly demonstrated by the carbon content of the myriad VAPs they produce. Moreover, pathways towards decreasing carbon footprint (via carbon capture prior to emission to the atmosphere) and increasing carbon handprint (reducing carbon emissions by consuming CO2-neutral or -negative products) related to bio-CCU are presented herein. Finally, existing challenges and knowledge gaps are acknowledged and described, and future research needs are recommended.
AB - The continuously rising emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a universal hazard which urgently requires collaborative action between policymakers and scientists. International treaties such as the Paris Agreement (with 196 signatories) reflect the importance of anthropogenic climate change as a truly global public concern. Towards the aim of climate recovery, the most broadly utilized CO2 reduction strategies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS); carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS); and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) are reviewed herein. Of these methods, CCU shows the greatest potential by recycling captured CO2 and harnessing it as a resource to generate emissions-neutral or -negative value-added products (VAPs). Within CCU methodologies, biologically-mediated CCU (bio-CCU) by microalgae is a promising biotechnology to drastically reduce CO2 emissions. This review therefore details the mechanisms of photosynthesis to sequester CO2 and incorporate it into valuable biomolecules. Microalgal cells utilize CO2 as precursors of macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and pigments; all of which are discussed within the frame of industrial relevance and market value. The biofixation potential of microalgae is clearly demonstrated by the carbon content of the myriad VAPs they produce. Moreover, pathways towards decreasing carbon footprint (via carbon capture prior to emission to the atmosphere) and increasing carbon handprint (reducing carbon emissions by consuming CO2-neutral or -negative products) related to bio-CCU are presented herein. Finally, existing challenges and knowledge gaps are acknowledged and described, and future research needs are recommended.
KW - Carbon capture and utilization
KW - Carbon dioxide biofixation
KW - Carbon footprint
KW - Carbon handprint
KW - Microalgae
KW - Value-added products
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108702950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2021.130884
DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2021.130884
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108702950
SN - 1385-8947
VL - 427
JO - Chemical Engineering Journal
JF - Chemical Engineering Journal
M1 - 130884
ER -