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Bacteria Strains to Improve Carbon Capture and Storage

Researchers: Pamela Silver and Michael Springer

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most common greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. CO2 also lingers longer than other greenhouse gases, which means it must be removed from the atmosphere to stop warming temperatures. The rock cycle is Earth’s natural way of capturing CO2 through rock weathering, which permanently locks CO2 into the oceans. However, weathering takes millions of years, and the need to address climate change is urgent.

A team of Harvard researchers is trying to harness rock weathering using bacteria. From the labs of Pam Silver, Elliot T. and Onie H. Adams Professor of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, and Michael Springer, Professor of Systems Biology, a research team led by Neil Dalvie, a Fellow in Systems Biology, is developing a technology that uses engineered bacterial strains to accelerate mineral weathering. The technology may provide a natural, scalable solution to accelerate CO2 sequestration for long-term storag

Project Overview

Interested in this technology?  We are currently seeking partners in academia and industry to collaborate on further developments. 

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