Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new direct air capture (DAC) method that uses protein beads made from dairy and tofu waste to absorb CO2. The beads, loaded with potassium hydroxide, captured 97 milligrams of CO2 per gram in lab tests, outperforming conventional DAC materials by 10 to 50 percent. The process uses a mild acid and base spray at room temperature to release the CO2, avoiding the high energy costs of traditional thermal methods. The protein beads can be reused for at least 30 cycles without efficiency loss, and the organic material can later be turned into fertilizer or biofuel. The researchers expect the technology to be significantly cheaper than existing DAC due to low energy needs and reliance on waste products. Scalability tests are underway, but the approach could become a game changer for affordable carbon removal.
