On carbon dioxide storage based on biomineralization strategies

Abstract

This study focuses on the separation and storage of the global warming greenhouse gas CO(2), and the use of natural biocatalysts in the development of technologies to improve CO(2) storage rates and provide new methods for CO(2) capture. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) has recently been used as a biocatalyst to sequester CO(2) through the conversion of CO(2) to HCO(-) in the mineralization of CaCO(3). Biomimetic CaCO(3) mineralization for carbon capture and storage offers potential as a stable CO(2) capture technology. In this report, we review recent developments in this field and assess disadvantages and improvements in the use of CA in industrial applications. We discuss the contribution that understanding of mechanisms of CO(2) conversion to CO(3)(-) in the formation and regeneration of bivalve shells will make to developments in biomimetic CO(2) storage. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.