Scientists at Novosibirsk State University have found a way to significantly accelerate the binding of carbon dioxide in industrial waste. As reported by TASS in the NSU press service, the university's Carbon Polygon tested a technology for mineral carbonation of asbestos-containing waste with the addition of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase.
The mechanism relies on the natural reaction of carbon dioxide with magnesium and calcium silicates, which results in the formation of stable carbonate minerals. The problem is that under natural conditions, the reaction proceeds extremely slowly due to the low rate of CO2 hydration. It is precisely this that carbonic anhydrase accelerates – an enzyme responsible for regulating carbonic acid in living organisms. Experiments at room temperature showed that the addition of the enzyme leads to faster initial gas binding and an increase in its total absorption compared to control samples without the enzyme.
Currently, humanity utilizes less than 0.1% of global CO2 emissions. The technology of carbon dioxide binding on asbestos-containing waste solves two problems simultaneously: removing greenhouse gas from the atmosphere and disposing of industrial waste dumps.
Georgy Lazarenko, Director of the NSU Climate Center, explained that mining waste is considered a potential substrate for climate projects. The enzyme effectively transforms a passive mineral resource into an active chemical reactor capable of absorbing CO2.
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