title: Development of a process for efficient use of CO2 from flue gases in the production of photosynthetic microorganisms.
abstract: A new methodology to use efficiently flue gases as CO(2) source in the production of photosynthetic microorganisms is proposed. The CO(2) is absorbed in an aqueous phase that is then regenerated by microalgae. Carbonated solutions could absorb up to 80% of the CO(2) from diluted gas reaching total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations up to 2.0 g/L. The pH of the solution was maintained at 8.0-10.0 by the bicarbonate/carbonate buffer, so it is compatible with biological regeneration. The absorption process was modeled and the kinetic parameters were determined. Anabaena sp. demonstrated to tolerate pH (8.0-10.0) and TIC (up to 2.0 g/L) conditions imposed by the absorption step. Experiments of regeneration of the liquid phase demonstrated the feasibility of the overall process, converting CO(2) into organic matter. The developed process avoids heating to regenerate the liquid whereas maximizing the efficiency of CO(2) use, which is relevant to achieve the commercial production of biofuels from microalgae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, E04120, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: González-López
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Acién Fernández
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Sevilla
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sánchez Fernández
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molina Grima
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D017033:Anabaena / Q000378:metabolism*; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000737:chemistry; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D010788:Photosynthesis
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D005740:Gases; D002245:Carbon Dioxide