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Evaluation of enhanced absorption of carbon dioxide using carbonic anhydrase in aqueous solutions of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The use of carbonic anhydrase (CA) as a catalyst for bicarbonate formation in amine solutions has shown the potential to increase the absorption rate of CO 2 , thus potentially reducing capital cost of a CO 2 capture plant, as the size of equipment can be reduced. On another approach, it could replace part of the amine to offer lower environmental impact . In this work, the catalytic effect of CA on the absorption properties of aqueous solutions of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) was evaluated. The CA (DvCA8.0) used is an engineered variant that is more thermostable and tolerant of high pH-values. As a first step, a stability comparison between ultrastable DvCA8.0 and benchmarking commercial Bovine Carbonic Anhydrase (BCA) showed that DvCA8.0 could withstand higher concentrations of AMP at tested conditions and presents an activation in AMP concentrations up to 2.0 M AMP. Addition of DvCA8.0 increased the initial absorption rate of an aqueous 1.05 M AMP solution by 103%in a continuous flow reactor. Detailed equilibrium studies at different temperatures showed that CA had an effect in the CO 2 absorption rate even at very low concentrations (0.565 μg CA/mL), while not affecting the solubility or heat of absorption of CO 2 in the solution. The results highlight the significance of CA as a green and sustainable promoter in post-combustion CO 2 capture. We showcase, for the first time, the application of an ultrastable CA as promoter of sterically hindered amines demonstrating the exciting potential of using ultrastable biocatalysts for enhancing the CO 2 absorption rate under industrially relevant conditions.
DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.100918
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,220
OpenAlex ID: W4407955434
FWCI: 1.808
Cites: 49
Cited by: 6
Related to: 10