Enzymatic conversion of carbon dioxide

Abstract

With the continuous increase in fossil fuels consumption and the rapid growth of atmospheric CO₂ concentration, the harmonious state between human and nature faces severe challenges. Exploring green and sustainable energy resources and devising efficient methods for CO₂ capture, sequestration and utilization are urgently required. Converting CO₂ into fuels/chemicals/materials as an indispensable element for CO₂ capture, sequestration and utilization may offer a win–win strategy to both decrease the CO₂ concentration and achieve the efficient exploitation of carbon resources. Among the current major methods (including chemical, photochemical, electrochemical and enzymatic methods), the enzymatic method, which is inspired by the CO₂ metabolic process in cells, offers a green and potent alternative for efficient CO₂ conversion due to its superior stereo-specificity and region/chemo-selectivity. Thus, in this tutorial review, we firstly provide a brief background about enzymatic conversion for CO₂ capture, sequestration and utilization. Next, we depict six major routes of the CO₂ metabolic process in cells, which are taken as the inspiration source for the construction of enzymatic systems in vitro. Next, we focus on the state-of-the-art routes for the catalytic conversion of CO₂ by a single enzyme system and by a multienzyme system. Some emerging approaches and materials utilized for constructing single-enzyme/multienzyme systems to enhance the catalytic activity/stability will be highlighted. Finally, a summary about the current advances and the future perspectives of the enzymatic conversion of CO₂ will be presented.