World's first reactor converts ocean CO₂ into biodegradable bioplastic feedstock

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https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ocean-carbon-capture-bioplastic
In a groundbreaking development, researchers in China have engineered an artificial ocean carbon recycling system that captures carbon dioxide (CO₂ 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.
The 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.
WeThe resulting protons acidify one chamber, transforming dissolved carbonate species into gaseous CO₂.