Cascade enzymatic reactions for efficient carbon sequestration

Area of Science:

• Biocatalysis
• Enzyme engineering
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

Background:

• Thermochemical processes for CCS have high capacity but low energy efficiency.
• Enzyme-catalyzed reactions offer a potential alternative for energy-efficient carbon sequestration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate reversible cascade enzyme reactions for energy-efficient carbon sequestration.
• To demonstrate intensified carbon capture using integrated enzymatic reactions.

Main Methods:

• Integration of isocitrate dehydrogenase and aconitase from the RTCA cycle.
• Utilizing pH control under ambient conditions to enhance thermodynamic driving force.
• Quantifying carbon capture capacity of the biocatalytic system.

Main Results:

• Cascade enzymatic reactions demonstrated intensified carbon capture.
• Enhanced thermodynamic driving force for carbon conversion achieved via pH control.
• Potential to capture 0.5 mol of carbon per mole of substrate at pH 6.

Conclusions:

• Reversible cascade enzyme reactions offer an energy-efficient pathway for carbon sequestration.
• Biocatalytic carbon capture can be intensified to levels comparable to chemical absorbents like MEA.
• Enzyme engineering presents a promising strategy for sustainable carbon capture technologies.