Biotechnology-enabled Carbon Utilization
Microalgae Biofuel Production:
• Microalgae absorb CO2 and convert it
into renewable biofuels, helping to
reduce fossil fuel emissions.
• Microalgae can produce various
biofuels like biohydrogen, bioethanol,
biodiesel, and other valuable
compounds.
• Algal-based biofuels production is
significantly higher than traditional
crops, making it a promising alternative
energy source.
• Different species of algae can be used
to produce biofuels, offering a versatile
and sustainable solution for energy
production.
Carbon Capture Processes:
Biochar for Soil Carbon Sequestration:
• Biochar can store carbon in soil for
centuries, reducing atmospheric CO2 levels
and mitigating climate change.
• Biochar improves soil fertility by
increasing nutrient retention, reducing soil
acidity, and providing habitat for beneficial
microorganisms.
• Biochar can be produced sustainably
through biotechnology, using biomass
waste (e.g., crop residues, forestry waste)
as feedstock, reducing waste and
supporting circular economy principles.
Genetically Engineered Organisms for Carbon Capture
Engineered Microbes:
• Engineered microbes can capture CO2 more efficiently, using enzymes and pathways that
improve carbon fixation and storage.
• Engineered microbes can be designed for large-scale industrial applications, ensuring safety and
containment measures to prevent environmental release and minimize ecological impact.
• Researchers are using synthetic biology to enhance carbon fixation pathways in photosynthetic
organisms like cyanobacteria and algae. This includes optimizing the Calvin cycle and
introducing more efficient carbon-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to increase the rate of CO2
uptake.
• Development of genetically modified strains that are more resilient to environmental stressors
such as high salinity, temperature fluctuations, and light variability, ensuring consistent carbon
sequestration in various climatic conditions.
Carbon Trapping plants:
• Carbon-trapping plants offer a natural, renewable, and sustainable solution for carbon
management, with potential applications in agriculture, forestry, and ecosystem restoration.
• Scientists are introducing C4 photosynthetic pathways into C3 plants, enhancing CO2 fixation and
biomass production, and increasing carbon sequestration potential.
• Genetic engineering is being used to increase suberin production in plant roots, enhancing soil
carbon storage and reducing soil carbon decomposition.
• Researchers are identifying and overexpressing genes involved in carbon sequestration, such as
those controlling biomass production, lignin biosynthesis, and soil carbon storage.
Photosynthetic efficiency:
• Genetically enhanced photosynthetic organisms produce more biomass and biofuels, offering a
sustainable solution for renewable energy and carbon sequestration.
• Genetic modifications improve carbon fixation pathways, such as RuBisCO and PEPC, to
increase CO2 conversion into organic compounds, like glucose and biomass.
• Researchers are optimizing electron transport chains to reduce energy loss and increase ATP
production, enhancing the conversion of light energy into chemical energy.
• Genetic engineering enhances light-harvesting complexes to capture a broader spectrum of light,
increasing photon absorption and conversion efficiency.
References:
• T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, G.K. Plattner, M.M.B. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex, P.M. Midgley,
Climate change 2013 the physical science basis: Working Group I contribution to the fifth assessment report
of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, 2013. [Link]
• C. Cunha et [Link]-based biopolymer for nano-and microplastic removal: a possible biosolution for
wastewater treatmentEnviron. Pollut.(2020)
• S. Gupta et [Link] of Biochar from food and wood waste as green admixture for cement mortarSci.
Total Environ.(2018)
• J. Masojídek, M. Koblízek, G. Torzillo, Photosynthesis in Microalgae, in: Handb. Microalgal Cult. Biotechnol.
Appl. Phycol., 2004.