Innovative nanobubble technology: Fuelling the future of bioenergy and carbon mitigation

Abstract

The world is affected by the increasing impact of climate change due to high levels of carbon di oxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. Several initiatives are taken by industries, academicians, and government bodies to deal with this problem and to promote CO₂ sequestration and the reduction of consumption of fossil fuels. One of the primary solutions is the production of synthetic fuels independent of non-renewable sources. While current natural and human-induced CO₂ sinks have been beneficial, the scientific community is moving to algal production for CO₂ sequestration, which may help achieve our targets of carbon sequestration as well as biofuel production. Introducing nanobubbles to the aqueous medium is one of the technologies which more efficiently dissolve gases in aqueous medium. This work emphasizes the significance of nanobubble technology (NBT) for improving the yield of biomass by utilizing the flue gases in the form of nanobubble (<200 nm). NBT helps in dissolving high amount of CO₂ at much lower operating pressure and 10 times or even shorter time in comparison to spargers. Hence, such methods offer the opportunity to produce valuable products at low cost that can support a sustainable circular bioeconomy. This study proposes the conceptual model for CO₂ bio-sequestration, the production of biobased products, and wastewater treatment integrating with NBT to maximize the benefits with a sustainable approach. The implementation of this biorefinery model could be a significant step towards surmounting the challenges of current sequestration methods and restoring the carbon balance, which would foster a sustainable future.