Organized By

CEE Seminar Committee

Host By

Professor CHU Jian

Topic

Enhanced Rock Weathering as a Negative Emission Technology for Carbon Neutrality: Potential Applications of Biomineralization Processes

 

About the Seminar

Climate change mitigation requires the development of effective negative emission technologies (NETs) to achieve carbon neutrality. Among various NETs, enhanced rock weathering (ERW) can be an approach for long-term atmospheric CO₂ removal through accelerated mineral weathering reactions. The effectiveness of ERW strongly depends on the mineral composition and geochemical reactivity of the applied rocks.

The presentation begins with an overview of the current status, challenges, and potential applications of enhanced rock weathering (ERW) in Japan. Building on findings obtained from studies of MICP/MIDP and related biomineralization processes, the seminar further explores the potential role of microbially driven biochemical reactions in accelerating mineral weathering and enhancing carbon sequestration.

About the Speaker

Dr. Akiko Nakano, an Assistant Professor at Kyushu University in Japan, specializes in environmental geotechnics and agricultural engineering, with a research focus on ground improvement technologies utilizing bio-chemical reaction processes.

Her recent work mainly investigates Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) based on urea hydrolysis and Microbially Induced Desaturation and Precipitation (MIDP) using denitrification. Also, she studied the swelling behavior and heavy metal adsorption characteristics of bentonite and clay minerals used as industrial geomaterials during her master’s and PhD studies.

Through her study on bio-geochemical reactions and biomineralization mechanisms, she developed an interest in the interactions among inorganic minerals, organic matter, and microorganisms in natural environments. This interdisciplinary interest has further expanded to rock weathering and its potential applications for carbonneutral technologies.