Posters

Planet Under Pressure 2012 conference, March 26-29, London:

Tackling the challenge of carbon dioxide mitigation through biomimicry as a Small & Medium Enterprise (SME): Teachings from the European FP7 CO2SolStock R&D project.

C. Zaoui, G. Chapelle, P-J. Valayer. Biomim-Greenloop sa, 7-11 Alststraat, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Introduction: As illustrated by Rockström et al., earth's global environmental change is the result of exceeded systems boundaries due to human activities. These systems, such as climate change, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, etc., are interconnected and interdependent. Therefore, tackling the earth's systems disruption in a significant manner is a challenge that necessitates the gathering of diverse yet complementary skills and expertise. In that perspective, the practice of biomimicry requires to bring together biologists with other earth science experts and engineers, but also with experts in economy and social sciences. This trans-
disciplinary approach is defined as an innovation process that encourages the transfer of concepts & strategies inspired from the living world to generate innovations that serve a sustainability purpose.
Purpose: Using the results and experience gained within the European FP7 CO2SolStock R&D project and beyond, the authors wish to give a "field" illustration of the challenges faced by an innovative SME to successfully apply a biomimetic, interdisciplinary approach to address the climate change issue.
Method: From April 2009 to March 2012, the interdisciplinary consortium of the CO2SolStock project investigated on the biological ways to sequester carbon dioxide via biomineralisation in order to generate innovative, sustainable and complementary solutions to the currently used carbon sequestration techniques. Hence, the method, challenges and added-value aspects of this biomimetic integrative approach will be discussed from the SME point of view, based on the project's acquired experience and results, from the early steps that preceded the project's approval and start, until project completion.
Results and discussion: The project's outcome and message relating to the use of biomineralisation as a carbon dioxide sequestration means will be presented, as well as comments and recommendations to promote the use of a biomimetic interdisciplinary approach within SMEs that wish to generate impacting innovations that tackle sustainability issues.

Goldschmidt 2011 conference, August 14-19, Prague, Czech Republic:

Biologically enhanced silicate mineral dissolution for CO2 sequestration
S.S.S. SALEK, R. KLEEREBEZEM, H.M. JONKERS AND M.C.M. VAN LOOSDRECHT
Delft University of Technology, 2628BC Delft, The Netherlands

During the past two centuries release rate of CO2 to atmospheric reservoir has been increased by combustion of fossil fuels [1]. The consequence of CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere is reflected as global climate change which is one of the main challenges facing humanity today [2]. CO2 fixation as carbonates has been introduced as one the most sustainable and promising mitigation methods [3]. The efficiency of this method however is mainly limited by the raw material availability (Ca or similar divalent cations) [4]. Naturally occurring alkaline silicates are rich in divalent cations and have large reservoirs on earth; however with low dissolution rate. In the present study we describe dissolution enhancement of an alkaline silicate (wollastonite) during microbial anaerobic fermentation producing organic acids. Fermentation is an intermediate step in the anaerobic digestion process, a common process used for industrial or domestic purposes to manage waste and/or to release energy. Integration of wollastonite in an anaerobic fermentation process can result in release of Ca to the solution and neutralization of the process. ICP-OES and HPLC measurements showed an increase of dissolution rate by both proton release resulted from dissociated organic acids and complexation of Ca with these organic-products. Upon subsequent degradation of the organic acids to biogas, inorganic CO2 will be sequestered as carbonate mineral. This work could provide an alternative route to reduce climate impacts from waste treatment plants.

[1] Falkowski, P. et al. (2000) Science 290(5490), 291–296.
[2] Rockstrom, J. et al. (2009) Nature 461(7263), 472–475.
[3] Lackner, K. S. et al. (1995) Energy 20(11), 1153–1170.
[4] Renforth, P. et al. (2011) Environmental Science & Technology 45(6), 2035–2041.

Posters