MORE | Spring 2020

Photosynthetic Fixation of Fermentation Off Gases

Controlling the release of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere is a major challenge facing global environmental sustainability. Fermentation off gases consist of mostly CO₂ and are a major byproduct accompanying the production of biofuels. These can be better controlled and mitigated using complementary heterotrophic and photosynthetic microorganisms. An efficient CO₂ delivery system is being designed to reduce carbon emissions, using a membrane carbonation system to deliver effluent CO₂ to microalgal cultures to produce recyclable sugars. This novel bioprocessing strategy would result in an efficient biofuel production with virtually zero CO₂ emissions.