CO2 Bio-capture by Microalgae and Cyanobacteria Cultures

Climate change is a global problem caused by the rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere. To limit global warming to less than 2 °C, large-scale deployment of technologies to remove CO2 from the air will be needed. As highly efficient, photosynthetic, single-cell factories, microalgae and cyanobacteria can play a critical role among carbon-negative technologies. Bio-capture of CO2 using photosynthetic microbes is a viable method for recycling CO2 into biomass, which can subsequently be utilized to produce bioenergy, fertilizers, biomaterials, and other high-value products. This chapter provides an overview of the different strategies for utilizing microalgae and cyanobacteria for CO2 capture directly from the atmosphere or stationary point sources with minimal environmental impacts. Challenges, research needs, and opportunities for the integration of CO2 bio-capture within a biorefinery perspective are discussed.