A new study led by Professor Jhuma Sadhukhan at Surrey University has demonstrated the environmental benefits of turning CO₂ emissions into key chemical ingredients.
As part of the Flue2Chem initiative, researchers for the first time assessed the entire life cycle of converting waste gases from steel and paper mills into alcohol ethoxylate, a surfactant for consumer goods, and low-medium distillate range liquid fuel.
The study, published in the Journal of CO2 Utilization, found the approach reduces global warming potential (GWP) by around 82 per cent for paper mill emissions and nearly half for the steel mill industry compared to fossil-based surfactant production.
In a statement, co-author Professor Jin Xuan, Associate Dean of Research…