As the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (ipcc.ch) states, climate change is caused by the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases. This increase has taken place during the last 200 years and is the consequence of the activities we develop as human species: burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, livestock…

Greenhouse gases trap the infrared radiation that our Earth emits, and help to mantain the temperature in which life has thrived during millions of years. But now we have too much greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, indeed much more than in any other period of the last 400.000 years (source: NASA – Vital Signs – Carbon Dioxide).

This greenhouse gases excess is causing an atmospheric warming – the Global Warming – which is modifying climate patterns, and worse, making the sea levels increase, putting in risk the life as we now know it.

Therefore we, as humanity, have only one way to move forward: reducing greenhouse emissions and removing the excess greenouse gases that we have been sending to the atmosphere.

CAPTACO2 project will try to accomplish it by the design of an atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) capturing device, non-profit.

The project is based on the previous work of Doctor Adrianna Nogalska in her thesis, “Ambient CO2 adsorption via membrane contactors”. Her thesis sets the foundations for the use of special patented polisulfone membranes that act as an artificial leaf.

The working principle is simple, if CO2 is mixed with an hydroxide the latter react with it forming a carbonate and thus removing it effectively from the atmosphere.

CAPTACO2 project is developed in Eurecat facilities in Tarragona, with the help of the team leaded by Doctor Ricard Garcia Valls in which Doctor Nogalska is also working.

A short video explanation can be watched on Youtube: