In the biological field, C4 plants are a specific type of plant where the acquired carbon dioxide is first fixed into a four-carbon atom compound. Subsequently, carbon dioxide enters and is involved in various photosynthetic processes.
These C4 plants use phosphoenolpyruvate, a chemical compound derivative of phosphoenolpyruvic acid, to capture carbon dioxide at night from the atmosphere and then release it during the day for photosynthesis. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed new phosphoenol derivatives that can capture carbon dioxide from industrial sources such as power plants before it enters the atmosphere or from the atmosphere itself.
Abstract
Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed synthetic biochemical compounds that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or sources such as power plants. These new derivatives mimic how some plants capture carbon dioxide from the air and use it for photosynthesis.
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Advantages
- Contains no nitrogen; non-toxic
- Less energy-intensive than current solvents for carbon capture
- Compounds will not be lost to the atmosphere or react to form toxic compounds
Potential Applications
- Useful in industries with major carbon dioxide emissions
- Natural gas processing
- Fossil fuel-based hydrogen production plants
- Use in synthetic fuel plants
Contact Information
Name: Victor Haroldsen
Email: haroldsen@ucdavis.edu
Phone: 530-752-7717