Enzyme-accelerated CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) using paper and pulp residues as co-sequestrating agents.

In the present work, four CaCO 3 -rich solid residues from the pulp and paper industry (lime mud, green liquor sludge, electrostatic precipitator dust, and lime dregs) were assessed for their potential as co-sequestrating agents in carbon capture. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) was added to promote both CO 2 hydration and residue mineral dissolution, offering an enhancement in CO 2 -capture yield under atmospheric (up to 4-fold) and industrial-gas mimic conditions (up to 2.2-fold). Geological CO 2 storage using olivine as a reference material was employed in two stages: one involving mineral dissolution, with leaching of Mg 2+ and SiO 2 from olivine; and the second involving mineral carbonation, converting Mg 2+ and bicarbonate to MgCO 3 as a permanent storage form of CO 2 . The results showed an enhanced carbonation yield up to 6.9%, when CA was added in the prior CO 2 -capture step. The proposed route underlines the importance of the valorization of industrial residues toward achieving neutral, or even negative emissions in the case of bioenergy-based plants, without the need for energy-intensive compression and long-distance transport of the captured CO 2 . This is a proof of concept for an integrated strategy in which a biocatalyst is applied as a CO 2 -capture promoter while CO 2 storage can be done near industrial sites with adequate geological characteristics.