I-Microalgae inokuguqula i-carbon dioxide kwi-exhaust gas kunye ne-nitrogen, i-phosphorus, kunye nezinye izinto ezingcolisayo emanzini amdaka zibe yi-biomass ngokusebenzisa i-photosynthesis. Abaphandi banokutshabalalisa ii-microalgae cells baze bakhuphe izinto eziphilayo ezifana neoyile kunye nee-carbohydrate kwiiseli, ezinokuthi zivelise ngakumbi amafutha acocekileyo afana ne-bio oil kunye ne-bio gas.
Ukukhutshwa kwekhabhoni diokside kakhulu yenye yezona zinto ziphambili ezibangela utshintsho lwemozulu kwihlabathi liphela. Singayinciphisa njani ikhabhoni diokside? Umzekelo, singayitya na? Ingasathethwa ke into yokuba, ii-microalgae ezincinci "zinomdla wokutya" kangaka, kwaye azikwazi nje "ukutya" ikhabhoni diokside, kodwa zikwazi nokuyiguqula ibe "yioyile".
Indlela yokusebenzisa i-carbon dioxide ngempumelelo iye yaba yinkxalabo ephambili kwizazinzulu kwihlabathi liphela, kwaye i-microalgae, le nto incinci yakudala, iye yaba luncedo olukhulu kuthi ekulungiseni i-carbon nokunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwayo ngamandla ayo okuguqula "i-carbon" ibe "yioyile".

I-microalgae encinci ingaguqula 'ikhabhoni' ibe 'yioyile'
Amandla e-microalgae encinci okuguqula ikhabhoni ibe yioyile anxulumene nokwakheka kwemizimba yazo. Ii-esters kunye neeswekile ezityebileyo kwi-microalgae zizinto ezibalaseleyo zokulungisa amafutha angamanzi. Ziqhutywa ngamandla elanga, i-microalgae inokudibanisa i-carbon dioxide ibe yi-triglycerides enamandla aphezulu, kwaye ezi molekyuli zeoyile azinakusetyenziswa kuphela ukuvelisa i-biodiesel, kodwa zikwasetyenziswa njengezinto ezibalulekileyo zokukhupha ii-acids ze-fatty ezingagcwaliyo ezinezondlo ezininzi ezifana ne-EPA kunye ne-DHA.
Ukusebenza kakuhle kwe-microalgae nge-photosynthesis okwangoku kuphezulu kakhulu kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo eMhlabeni, ngokuphindwe kalishumi ukuya kuma-50 kunezityalo zomhlaba. Kuqikelelwa ukuba i-microalgae ilungisa malunga neetoni ezingama-90 zeebhiliyoni zekhabhoni kunye nee-megajoules ezili-1380 zeetriliyoni zamandla nge-photosynthesis eMhlabeni minyaka le, kwaye amandla asetyenziswayo amalunga ne-4-5 amaxesha okusetyenziswa kwamandla ngonyaka kwihlabathi liphela, kunye nenani elikhulu lezixhobo.
Kuyaqondakala ukuba iTshayina ikhupha malunga neetoni ezili-11 zeebhiliyoni zekhabhoni diokside minyaka le, apho ngaphezulu kwesiqingatha sayo yikhabhoni diokside evela kwigesi yolwelo ephehlwa ngamalahle. Ukusetyenziswa kwe-microalgae ekuthuthweni kwekhabhoni ye-photosynthetic kwiinkampani zoshishino ezisebenzisa amalahle kunokunciphisa kakhulu ukukhutshwa kwekhabhoni diokside. Xa kuthelekiswa netekhnoloji yokunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwegesi yolwelo ephehlwa ngamalahle, itekhnoloji yokunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwekhabhoni ye-microalgae ineengenelo zezixhobo ezilula zenkqubo, ukusebenza lula, kunye nokukhuselwa kwendalo okuluhlaza. Ukongeza, i-microalgae ikwanazo neengenelo zokuba nabemi abaninzi, ukuba lula ukuyilima, kunye nokukwazi ukukhula kwiindawo ezifana nolwandle, amachibi, umhlaba we-alkali enetyuwa, kunye nemigxobhozo.
Ngenxa yokukwazi kwazo ukunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwekhabhoni diokside nokuvelisa amandla acocekileyo, ii-microalgae zifumene ingqalelo enkulu ngaphakathi nangaphandle.
Nangona kunjalo, akulula ukwenza ii-microalgae ezikhula ngokukhululekileyo kwindalo zibe "ngabasebenzi abalungileyo" bokuhluthwa kwekhabhoni kwimizi-mveliso. Ungalilima njani i-algae ngokwenziwa? Yeyiphi i-microalgae enefuthe elingcono lokuhluthwa kwekhabhoni? Ungawuphucula njani ukusebenza kakuhle kokuhluthwa kwekhabhoni kwe-microalgae? Zonke ezi ziingxaki ezinzima ekufuneka izazinzulu zizisombulule.