Carbon dioxide capture and bioenergy production using biological system – A review

Abstract With the growing use of fossil fuels and industrial activity, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission is continuously increasing and is considered a primary contributor to climate change. CO 2 emissions from stationary resources (coal fire, cement plants, and other industry) can be reduced by using various carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies. In this article, recent advancements in various biological methods (i.e., carbonic anhydrase (CA), hydrogenation of CO 2 to formate, reduction of CO 2 to methane, CO 2 conversion into methanol by enzyme cascade, and the role of RuBisCo enzyme) that have been reported for CO 2 capture are discussed, along with their advantages and limitations. A brief overview of other physicochemical (absorption, adsorption, cryogenic, and membrane) technologies is also provided. Although biological methods are ecofriendly and can be performed under ambient conditions, these approaches are still not cost effective, as the reactions require cofactors, and the enzymes lose activity when exposed to hot flue gas and ionic liquids. Most captured CO 2 is stored by mineralization using a geological and ocean storage method without providing any economic benefit. It is a question of interest as to how we can utilize CO 2 and generate revenue. Utilization of CO 2 as a feedstock to produce bioenergy is a possible approach. Various microbes capable of utilizing CO 2 as feedstock and producing biofuels (biodiesel and bioalcohol) have been reported. These two technologies, i.e., CO 2 capture and bioconversion of CO 2 into bioenergy, can be integrated to develop a process that not only mitigates CO 2 effects on the environment but also solves energy problems while generating revenue.