Carbon dioxide sequestration into biomineral armor by ants

[Greg Rau]



https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.21.700952v1

“ Over geologic time, Earth’s climate has been shaped by the capture and conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into stable carbonate minerals, including dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2]. Accelerating natural carbon mineralization offers significant potential for mitigating anthropogenic climate change. Using stable carbon isotope tracking, nano-scale secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and 13C SSNMR, we show that, paralleling global biosphere-level processes, Sericomyrmex amabilis fungus-farming ants rapidly convert CO2 in their nest chambers into a biomineral layer covering their exoskeletons. We further reveal that biogenic carbon mineralization by these ants produces partially ordered dolomite. This rapid sequestration of CO2 into defensive armor in ants provides a fascinating natural example of mediation of potentially toxic accumulation of atmospheric CO2 that could inform human efforts to mitigate climate change.”

GR Synergies between biology and geochemistry have the potential to produce safe, secure, large-scale CDR. Still, the energy and CO2 footprint of doing the has to be figured out, but it’s got to be better than DAC or BECCS, esp if genetic engineering is thrown into the mix.

Sent from my iPhone

[GRETCHEN & RON LARSON]

Greg and list:

 

      Thanks for this lead.   The attachment shows I was getting close to the Supplemental material.  

      But not successful!   Anyone get there?

 

Ron

 

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[Michael Hayes]

Dear Greg and Ron,

In 2013, NREL successfully demonstrated that genetic modifications to the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 can lead to the production of ethylene (https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/59009.pdf). Subsequent dewatering of this ethylene yields ethanol, which represents a carbon-neutral fuel source. Moreover, the produced gas could be employed in the construction of polyethylene bioreactor hulls, thereby facilitating the scalable production of both biomass and gas, while simultaneously sequestering converted carbon for extended durations as thick-walled polyethylene reactor hulls. An additional benefit arises from the use of exhausted biomass for biochar, contributing to further carbon dioxide removal.

These synergistic relationships among biological carbon drawdown processes, carbon-neutral fuel production, and long-term carbon management present substantial potential for scalable carbon drawdown and sequestration initiatives.

Best regards,

Michael Hayes

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[GRETCHEN & RON LARSON]

Michael, Greg and List

 

1.   No-one has helped me yet download the Supplemental material (which appears to  be exceptional).  See my repeated request below.

 

2.   Michael and I have communicated quite a bit, but not for several years.  I know of no-one more knowledgeable about ocean-based energy conversions using large plastic structures.   This seems to fit in that category.

 

3.   I used Google to find a subsequent technical article by these NREL (now NLR) authors.  See this 2021 non-fee article;

.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25369-x.pdf"

       "A guanidine-degrading enzyme controls genomic stability of ethylene-producing cyanobacteria"

4.   I have only skimmed this paper, but seems a similar topic.    Google Scholar had about 45 more recent articles, as cites, with at least 35 non-fee articles, with some in 2026.

 

5.  I don't propose to follow this further, but am impressed that this is in the category of photosynthesis, with the only input (as for those photosynthesis approaches giving cellulose, etc.) being CO2. H2O and sunlight, with O2 as the other main output.   I have zero skills to contribute is this area.

 

6.   But clearly this is as much a CDR approach as is biochar.  

          In fact, it could maybe even be added on to many biochar approaches which today often simply exhaust the CO2 produced as a result of combusting the syngas always produced with the char..   Because the syngas is produced with oxygen (produced also with the cyanobacteria), rather than with air (mostly N2), there might be some nice synergies here.  Each pyrolysis facility would need  an associated "solar pond"

 

   6  I will try to track this a little - as I worked at NREL from its start in 1977( its first day) until about 1983. when it was underwent disruptions (worse than even now) as Reagan replaced Carter in 1980..

 

    7.  In summary,  Is Michael suggesting a real promising CDR approach?   (No connection to ants either.)

 

Ron.

 

 

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