Post by account_disabled on Feb 28, 2024 15:57:00 GMT 10
Cement is an important construction ingredient worldwide and, as a result, cement production is a major source of global carbon dioxide (CO) emissions, accounting for approximately seven percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions . greenhouse effect, largely through the burning of mined limestone.
Now, a research team at the University of Colorado Boulder has claimed to have discovered a way to make cement production carbon neutral, and even carbon negative, by removing carbon dioxide from the air with the help of microalgae.
Limestone is a key ingredient in biogenic cement, but adding it to the mix consumes a lot of energy. It is extracted from large quarries and burned at high temperatures, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide. The research team found that replacing mined limestone with biologically grown limestone, a natural process that some species of calcareous microalgae complete through photosynthesis, creates a net carbon-neutral form of biogenic cement.
Materials scientist Wil Srubar, principal investigator on the project, received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in to explore how to grow limestone particles using microalgae to produce concrete with positive environmental benefits. The idea came to him while he was diving on his honeymoon in Thailand in He saw firsthand in coral spools how nat C Level Executive List ure develops its own durable structures from calcium carbonate, a main component of limestone.
He and his team began growing coccolithophores, cloudy white microalgae that naturally sequester and store carbon dioxide in mineral form through photosynthesis. Using just sunlight, seawater, and dissolved carbon dioxide, these tiny organisms produce the largest amounts of new calcium carbonate on the planet, and at a faster rate than coral reefs. Coccolithophore blooms in the world's oceans are so large they can be seen from space. These microalgae live in warm and cold, salty and fresh waters around the world, making them excellent candidates for cultivation almost anywhere.
“On the surface, they create these very intricate and beautiful calcium carbonate shells. “It’s basically a limestone armor that surrounds the cells,” Subaru said.
The researchers used coccolithophores to produce biogenic limestone-based cement with a much smaller environmental footprint. “This is a really exciting time for our team,” Subaru said. “For the industry, now is the time to solve this wicked problem. “We believe we have one of the best solutions, if not the best solution, for the cement and concrete industry to address its carbon problem.”
The research team has been rewarded for their innovative work with a $ million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and expand manufacturing of biogenic limestone-based cement.
Limestone is not the only product that microalgae can create: the lipids, proteins, sugars and carbohydrates from microalgae can be used to produce biofuels, foods and cosmetics, meaning these microalgae could also be a source of other more expensive co-products, which helps to offset the costs of limestone production.
“We make more concrete than any other material on the planet, and that means it touches everyone's lives,” Subaru said . “It is very important that we remember that this material must be affordable and easy to produce, and the benefits must be shared on a global scale.”
Now, a research team at the University of Colorado Boulder has claimed to have discovered a way to make cement production carbon neutral, and even carbon negative, by removing carbon dioxide from the air with the help of microalgae.
Limestone is a key ingredient in biogenic cement, but adding it to the mix consumes a lot of energy. It is extracted from large quarries and burned at high temperatures, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide. The research team found that replacing mined limestone with biologically grown limestone, a natural process that some species of calcareous microalgae complete through photosynthesis, creates a net carbon-neutral form of biogenic cement.
Materials scientist Wil Srubar, principal investigator on the project, received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in to explore how to grow limestone particles using microalgae to produce concrete with positive environmental benefits. The idea came to him while he was diving on his honeymoon in Thailand in He saw firsthand in coral spools how nat C Level Executive List ure develops its own durable structures from calcium carbonate, a main component of limestone.
He and his team began growing coccolithophores, cloudy white microalgae that naturally sequester and store carbon dioxide in mineral form through photosynthesis. Using just sunlight, seawater, and dissolved carbon dioxide, these tiny organisms produce the largest amounts of new calcium carbonate on the planet, and at a faster rate than coral reefs. Coccolithophore blooms in the world's oceans are so large they can be seen from space. These microalgae live in warm and cold, salty and fresh waters around the world, making them excellent candidates for cultivation almost anywhere.
“On the surface, they create these very intricate and beautiful calcium carbonate shells. “It’s basically a limestone armor that surrounds the cells,” Subaru said.
The researchers used coccolithophores to produce biogenic limestone-based cement with a much smaller environmental footprint. “This is a really exciting time for our team,” Subaru said. “For the industry, now is the time to solve this wicked problem. “We believe we have one of the best solutions, if not the best solution, for the cement and concrete industry to address its carbon problem.”
The research team has been rewarded for their innovative work with a $ million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and expand manufacturing of biogenic limestone-based cement.
Limestone is not the only product that microalgae can create: the lipids, proteins, sugars and carbohydrates from microalgae can be used to produce biofuels, foods and cosmetics, meaning these microalgae could also be a source of other more expensive co-products, which helps to offset the costs of limestone production.
“We make more concrete than any other material on the planet, and that means it touches everyone's lives,” Subaru said . “It is very important that we remember that this material must be affordable and easy to produce, and the benefits must be shared on a global scale.”