Microorganism Sporomusa sphaeroides (Image courtesy of the National Institute of Biological Resources)
SEOUL, Mar. 28 (Korea Bizwire) – A team of South Korean researchers has developed a pioneering technology that utilizes a microorganism found in animal feces to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from ships and even produce alcohol as a byproduct.
This breakthrough is expected to aid the shipping industry and other sectors in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
The National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) announced that it will sign a cooperative agreement with Samwoo T&ES, a company specializing in eco-friendly ship construction, on March 28.
The partnership aims to develop a process that converts carbon dioxide emitted from ship engines and purification tanks into alcohol using the microorganism Sporomusa sphaeroides.
Within this year, the NIBR and Samwoo T&ES plan to conduct experiments capturing carbon dioxide gases from ship engines and purification tanks, then introducing them into a Sporomusa sphaeroides cultivation facility to facilitate the conversion into alcohol.
Sporomusa sphaeroides is an acetogenic microbe discovered in animal feces by NIBR researchers last year. It has the ability to transform carbon dioxide into alcohol, acetic acid, and other compounds.
Notably, its carbon dioxide decomposition capacity is more than double that of Clostridium autoethanogenum, the microorganism employed by the American private company LanzaTech.
The greenhouse gas emissions from South Korea’s shipping industry amounted to 28.73 million tons in 2022, marking a 15% increase compared to a decade ago.
Recognizing the urgency of mitigating climate change, the shipping sector is actively seeking ways to reduce its carbon footprint.
Last year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a greenhouse gas reduction strategy for international shipping. The strategy aims to achieve at least a 20% reduction from 2008 levels by 2030, at least a 70% reduction by 2040, and ultimately, carbon neutrality by around 2050.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
