Carbon recovery by fermentation of CO-rich off gases - Turning steel mills into biorefineries.
Technological solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from anthropogenic sources are required. Heavy industrial processes, such as steel making, contribute considerably to GHG emissions. Fermentation of carbon monoxide (CO)-rich off gases with wild-type acetogenic bacteria can be used to produce ethanol, acetate, and 2,3-butanediol, thereby, reducing the carbon footprint of heavy industries. Here, the processes for the production of ethanol from CO-rich off gases are discussed and a perspective on further routes towards an integrated biorefinery at a steel mill is given. Recent achievements in genetic engineering as well as integration of other biotechnology platforms to increase the product portfolio are summarized. Already, yields have been increased and the portfolio of products broadened. To develop a commercially viable process, however, the extraction from dilute product streams is a critical step and alternatives to distillation are discussed. Finally, another critical step is waste(water) treatment with the possibility to recover resources.
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States.
Bastian
B
Molitor
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States.
Hanno
H
Richter
LanzaTech, 8045 Lamon Avenue, Suite 400, Skokie, IL 60077, United States.
Michael E
ME
Martin
LanzaTech, 8045 Lamon Avenue, Suite 400, Skokie, IL 60077, United States.
Rasmus O
RO
Jensen
LanzaTech, 8045 Lamon Avenue, Suite 400, Skokie, IL 60077, United States.
Alex
A
Juminaga
LanzaTech, 8045 Lamon Avenue, Suite 400, Skokie, IL 60077, United States.
Christophe
C
Mihalcea
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States. Electronic address: la249@cornell.edu.
Largus T
LT
Angenent
D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D005285:Fermentation; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D013232:Steel / Q000737:chemistry*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology
D056804:Biofuels; D002244:Carbon; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D005740:Gases; D013232:Steel; D062065:Wastewater
Biorefinery; CO-rich off gas; Carboxylate platform; Genetic engineering; Syngas fermentation