Using Bioengineering and Biotechnology to Solve Future Pollution Problems

     Welcome to Candeo Glacia, a South Carolina city on the Atlantic shore. Our city offers opportunity, a superior living environment, and the excitement of a thriving metropolis. Candeo Glacia is Latin for “glowing ice”, a reference to the rich deposits of methane encased in ice crystals located off our coast.

     Residents of Candeo Glacia produce hydrogen from the mined methane hydrate source. The processed methane yields hydrogen as a fuel, which powers the city and provides the basis for our economy. However, the residents are concerned about air pollution created by the toxic byproducts of the hydrogen production process. They are especially concerned about toxic carbon dioxide/monoxide emissions. Candeo Glacians challenged their engineers to develop a process that would allow hydrogen production with no environmental repercussions.

     The engineers rose to the challenge by inventing a bioremediation process that promotes hydrogen production and recycles all waste products. The production process begins at the underwater mining facility where materials engineers inject a slurry gel into the methane hydrate substrate for stabilization during mining. In order to liquefy the hydrate enough to pump it to the surface, bioengineers added a biopolymer developed from natural polymers such as carboxymethylcellulose. The polymer liquefies the hydrate for pumping.

     The liquid methane hydrate pumps to a solar radiation site designed by the chemical and power engineers. The solar radiation provides the energy needed to melt the hydrate and release the methane. Methane mixes with steam water and produces hydrogen. A wastewater byproduct is created in this process and will need to be bioremediated at a later phase of the production. The methane undergoes processing to yield hydrogen gas to be used as a fuel source. Carbon dioxide/monoxide is a potentially polluting waste product of this phase of the production cycle and also will need to be remediated.

     To remediate the wastewater byproduct and the carbon dioxide/monoxide resulting from the hydrogen production process, engineers combined these byproducts with an invented bacteria related to Cyanobacteria. This type of bacteria is both photosynthetic and aquatic. This combination creates a bioreactor that reduces the carbon dioxide to organic compounds such as sugar phosphates. This biochemical energy process promotes the microbiological and chemical fixation of carbon dioxide/monoxide.

     Engineers of Candeo Glacia made our city the leading producer of hydrogen fuel by inventing novel bioremediation methods to liquefy the methane hydrates to pump to the surface and to microbiologically and chemically fix the carbon dioxide/monoxide and wastewater byproducts. Methane hydrate deposits are located all over the world. The bioremediation technology is sold to other nations who are interested in new fuel technology. The production process and byproduct remediation will help power the world for centuries and position Candeo Glacia as a leader in advanced fuel technology.

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