Published May 12, 2026

Michigan State University researchers Wei Liao and Annaliese Marks, in collaboration with postdoctoral fellow Chenghai Li (Harvard University) and Professor Shengqiang Cai (University of California San Diego), have developed a promising new method for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture. It involves using a macroporous hydrogel infused with a solution made from algae amino acids (microalgal amino acid salt solution or MAASS).

Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally in the atmosphere. But human activities since the 1950s, including deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels, have significantly increased CO₂ levels, contributing to global warming and climate change. These changes have directly affected water resources.

Rising global annual average temperatures have melted glaciers and ice caps, raising sea levels and causing flooding in coastal areas. Changing weather patterns like drought and severe flooding have disrupted freshwater supplies. In the ocean, CO₂ can dissolve, making the water more acidic. This not only harms marine life, but increases health risks from contaminated seafood for humans. 

Effective CO₂ capture is an important part of addressing these growing challenges. 

Liao and Marks’s study, published in Fuel, is the first to combine porous hydrogels with microalgal amino acid salt solutions for CO₂ capture. Previously, the most common way to capture CO₂ involved the organic chemical compound Monoethanolamine (MEA) which requires a lot of energy to regenerate. 

In lab tests, the researchers placed macroporous hydrogel into containers and released gas mixtures of 10%, 30%, and 50% CO₂. They measured the amount of CO₂ the gel absorbed and how quickly the process occurred. The method of CO₂ capture described in this study was 5.6 times higher than with MEA, with faster absorption rates, no foam (which can negatively affect the absorption of CO₂), and a more sustainable absorption/desorption cycle.

“These experimental results highlight a significant advancement in absorption efficiency, directly addressing a major bottleneck in current post-combustion CO₂ capture technologies,” the authors said. “By physically entrapping MAASS within the porous hydrogel matrix, this system effectively eliminates foaming while maintaining structural stability during repeated absorption–desorption cycles.”

This faster and more cost-effective method could make capturing CO₂ from industrial flue gases more practical for factories and power plants. It can also help slow climate change and reduce its harmful effects on water resources, which the authors themselves acknowledged.

“Urgent action is needed to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate atmospheric CO₂ levels to prevent catastrophic environmental consequences,” they said. 

Future research includes larger-scale testing and further evaluation of the material.

Read the full research article: “High-efficiency carbon dioxide capture using macroporous hydrogel infused with microalgal amino acid salt solution”