Mexico’s Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) has developed a bioreactor which uses microalgae to capture flue gases from cement companies. The reactor was launched at Cementos Fortaleza’s cement plant in Tula in the country’s state of Hidalgo, where it will pilot the technology at plant level.

In the process the exhaust gas from the kiln is passed through a reactor that contains water, nutrients and microalgae that retain carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and convert it to biomass. The biomass can then be recovered and dried with excess heat to produce value-added goods or fuels in addition to releasing oxygen to the atmosphere.

Prior to its launch at the Tula plant, the prototype had been in operation at the UAM’s Cuajimalpa unit.