CETCH Cycle Biological

Carbon Scrubber
By: Maddie Cinelli and Heston Wilson
Climate Change

A big problem facing our world right now is climate change. By burning
fossil fuels humans are releasing large amounts of CO2 into the
atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, which means it traps heat in the
atmosphere. This causes global warming.
CO2 levels are
higher than
they have ever
been, and still
increasing
rapidly ever
since we
introduced the
use of fossil
fuels into
mainstream
society.
Effects of Climate Change

Climate change has many negative effects on the planet. Global warming
causes sea ice to melt, which in turn causes sea levels to rise. Climate
change is also causing larger and more frequent extreme weather events,
such as hurricanes and fires.
 Carbon moves through ecosystems
and is constantly reused through
the carbon cycle. It starts in the
Carbon Cycle atmosphere, is absorbed by plants,
and then goes into the soil or is
absorbed by animals. It returns
through respiration or fossil fuel
burning. Our solution plans to
remove carbon dioxide that is in the
atmosphere from fossil fuel
emissions. This will bring the
carbon cycle back into balance.
Our Solution

We plan to remove the carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere by filtering it out using ecologically safe
filters. These filters can be installed in fossil fuel plants to
reduce emissions and can also be established around the
world.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is how plants create
glucose/energy. They use carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere with water and
sunlight to create oxygen and glucose. Our
solution uses enzymes that perform a
process that is analogous to this. This means
they can get rid of carbon dioxide and turn it
into oxygen.
Calvin Cycle The calvin cycle is a important
step in photosynthesis. In this
step, glucose is made using
carbon dioxide and molecules
from the light independent
reaction. This uses an enzyme
that is effective yet inefficient.
The cetch cycle is more efficient
and eliminates this enzyme from
the process.
CETCH Cycle

The CETCH Cycle is a more effective version of the Calvin Cycle, that can
absorb much more CO2, specifically 5 nanomoles of CO2 per minute per
milligram of protein. The CETCH Cycle uses 9 different enzymes from 5
different organisms. We are going to use it to create biological carbon
scrubbers that are able to absorb CO2 and release oxygen in a way that
requires little maintenance.
CETCH Cycle Diagram

This diagram shows all of the

enzymes and reactions that
make up the CETCH Cycle.
Our Carbon Scrubber

Our carbon scrubber would use the CETCH Cycle to absorb CO2. This
would take very little maintenance to keep it running, because there isn’t
complicated technology. Once the CETCH cycle is perfected it would also be
a cheaper option than expensive technology.
Artificial Chloroplast

We need to design something like an artificial chloroplast that has

different enzymes. Instead of the enzymes for the Calvin Cycle it has the
enzymes for the CETCH Cycle. We would have to design it so it can
absorb the CO2 from the atmosphere and allow it to easily pass through
the atmosphere. It will basically just be a place for the chemical reactions
to take place. It could be a semi-permeable membrane that is solid but still
allows certain particles through, such as CO2.
Artificial Chloroplast Containment

The device is going to have a vent on the outside to allow airflow, and
within that will be the filter. We need to design the filter and plan how it is
going to contain the artificial chloroplasts, while still allowing the air to
easily get through. The chloroplasts would have to be secure and
protected. The filter could also filter out unwanted particles that could
damage the chloroplasts, as well things like bugs.
Towers

The towers that the filters are placed in will need to be about 100 -300 feet
tall to effectively filter out the atmosphere around cities. The towers will be
made out of cheap economical steel with a minimalistic structure. The
filters are not very heavy so the steel will not need to have robust
structure.
Also, the towers have to have a outer frame that allows for airflow but also
protects wildlife from hitting it. These need to be tested by checking
airflow into the frame and filter.
Infogram™

We would design a meter that could track the oxygen output, and use that
to determine the CO2 input. This would test the efficiency of the filter and
ensure that it is still working optimally. It would also be useful for collecting
data on the level of CO2 that is in the atmosphere and how effective the
filters are at reversing the effects of CO2 emissions. The Infogram™
would be able to send the data back to our labs so we could monitor the
filters 24/7 and detect any problems early on. It will also provide data on
H2O levels
Other Important External Features

There would be a light panel that would provide light for the filters during
the day. Although the CETCH Cycle only requires around 20% of the light
energy that the Calvin Cycle does, it still does need some. The scrubber
would have solar cells in it that would charge during the day and emit light
at night, so the scrubber could continue working during the night. On the
back of the frame there will be a fan to filter out the air that flows through.
There will also be a pipe on the top to release the oxygen that is produced
during the CETCH Cycle.
Other Important Internal Features

Like photosynthesis, this process requires H2O. Water would be pumped

up through a tube when it is needed and stored inside the scrubber, where
it will be used for the CETCH Cycle. The Infogram™ will also be stored
inside, along with other control and diagnostic panels that provide more
information for the Infogram.
Why the CETCH Cycle is an Improvement

“The CCR enzyme Erb discovered, in contrast, acts as though it were

turbocharged: it is 20 times faster than plant RuBisCO and fixes carbon
dioxide two to three times more efficiently – not least of all because this
enzyme practically never makes an error” (Klaus Wilhelm in “Metabolism
2.0).
Next Steps

While we have the main framework of this idea, we still have more testing
and experimentation to do before it is complete. We will need to determine
to best height for the towers to be at, between 100-300 ft tall. We also
need to test the best materials for different parts, including the artificial
chloroplasts and the chloroplast containment device.
Blueprints
Works Cited
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27856910
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/534128c3e4b063017f7afdd3/t/5500d08de4b0303c041f422d/
1426116749973/BiologicalScrubberHandbook-0215.pdf
https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a23938/fix-carbon-dioxide-useful-products/

https://www.mpg.de/11182163/W004_Environment_climate_064-069.pdf

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-developed-a-synthetic-way-to-absorb-co2-that-s-way-faste
r-than-plants