Moisture-driven CO2 direct air capture and delivery for cultivating cyanobacteria

• DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.5070812
• Publication Date: 2025-01-06T16:00:59Z
• Authors: Justin Flory; Shuqin Li; Samantha Taylor; Sunil Tiwari; Jason Kmon; Thiago Stangherli...; Nick Lowery; Joel Eliston; Garrett Cole; Jason Quinn; Matthew D. Green; John McGowen; Klaus Lackner; Wim Vermaas

A system called AUDACity was developed and demonstrated for continuously delivering ~100 g per day of direct air-captured (DAC) CO2 into aqueous alkaline solutions within a 4.2 m2 outdoor raceway pond in moisture-driven process. Anion-exchange resin particles contained elongated mesh tube packets were found to reduce drying loading time ~4-fold over larger bags, which allowed the sorbent clump surface area exposed air, as measured closed loop wind tunnel. The used cultivating cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 pond. culture grown did not show visible contamination whereas control without showed from amoeba diatoms. Biofouling during cultivation reduced its binding capacity by ~50%, partially restored 75% initial after sequentially washing 0.04% bleach, 1 mM HCl then 0.5 M NaHCO3.