Scientists develop a system that captures CO2 from seawater and converts it into bioplastic feedstock, cutting emissions.
Oceans are Earth’s silent carbon vaults, and now, scientists have found a way to tap into them to create something useful.In a groundbreaking development, researchers in China have engineered an artificial ocean carbon recycling system that captures carbon dioxide directly from seawater and converts it into succinic acid , a key ingredient for making biodegradable plastic .
The study was led by GAO Xiang from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology and XIA Chuan from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.It marks the first time scientists have demonstrated a complete loop, starting from oceanic CO₂ capture to the creation of a usable chemical feedstock.Carbon to chemistryThe innovation lies in a clever combination of electrochemistry and microbial fermentation. Seawater flows through a specially designed five-chamber electrochemical reactor, where an electric field triggers water splitting.The resulting protons acidify one chamber, transforming dissolved carbonate species into gaseous CO₂.That CO₂ is then separated through a hollow-fiber membrane and sent to a second reactor. Here, a custom-designed bismuth-based catalyst reduces the CO₂ into formic acid.The process doesn’t end there, an engineered strain of the marine bacterium Vibrio natriegens ferments the formic acid into succinic acid, a valuable precursor for biodegradable plastics like polybutylene succinate .The system continuously extracted CO₂ from natural seawater collected from Shenzhen Bay, China, for over 530 hours, achieving a 70 percent carbon capture efficiency. Even more impressively, the estimated cost was around $230 per metric ton of CO₂, rivaling leading carbon capture technologies on the market today.From blue seas to green plastics“This is the first demonstration that’s going from ocean CO₂ all the way to a usable feedstock for bioplastic,” said XIANG Chengxiang, a materials science specialist at the California Institute of Technology, who was not involved in the work.“The true focal point is taking that CO₂ and turning it into a bioplastic monomer with promising stability and economics.”The modular nature of the system means it can be easily reconfigured to produce a variety of industrial chemicals, including lactic acid, alanine, and 1,4-butanediol.This flexibility could make it a scalable solution for transforming oceanic carbon into market-ready materials.The implications go far beyond plastics. By harnessing the ocean’s vast carbon reservoir, the approach could complement existing carbon capture strategies and reduce the pressure on land-based methods.It represents a shift from simply storing captured CO₂ to upcycling it into high-value products that fuel a circular, low-carbon economy.The researchers believe that integrating such systems with offshore renewable energy sources, such as wind or tidal power, could make the process even more sustainable.With oceans already absorbing nearly one-third of global CO₂ emissions, this innovation could transform them from passive sinks into active participants in the climate solution, and turn the tide in the fight against carbon pollution.The findings from the study have been published in the journal Nature Catalysis.
Bioplastic Feedstock Carbon Capture Technology CO2 Recycling Electrochemical Reactor Microbial Fermentation Ocean Carbon Capture Succinic Acid
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