Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Professor Ki‑Tae Baek's team (College of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering / Department of Environment and Energy Convergence, Graduate School) has identified the optimal environmental conditions and limits of carbon biological fixation (bio‑fixation) that effectively removes carbon dioxide (CO2) using plants.

The study was led by PhD candidate Won‑Gyun Jeong and proposes measures to maximize plants' photosynthetic capacity as a sustainable Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) strategy in response to rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The research outcome was selected as the cover article in the February 2026 issue of Advanced Sustainable Systems, an international journal in the field of eco‑friendly and sustainable technologies.

The research team conducted an in‑depth analysis of the interactions among CO2 concentration, nutrient supply, and growth temperature on plant growth and carbon sequestration capacity. Experimental results showed that as CO2 concentration increased, plants' relative growth rate and carbon conversion efficiency improved, with the best response observed at 2,000 ppm.

However, in high‑concentration environments above 3,000 ppm, a CO2 over‑saturation inhibitory effect appeared, causing photosynthesis to decline. The experiments demonstrated that carbon fixation efficiency can decrease above a certain concentration. This result scientifically indicates that creating indiscriminately high CO2 environments is not necessarily beneficial.

PhD candidate Won‑Gyun Jeong said, "This study confirmed both the potential and the environmental constraints of plant‑based carbon fixation technology under future climate scenario conditions. It showed that even under high CO2 conditions, appropriate nutrient supply and temperature management applied together can maximize plants' carbon removal capacity."

Professor Ki‑Tae Baek stated, "Biological fixation using plants is an eco‑friendly carbon removal technology that can reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions. The environmental thresholds presented in this study will provide an important basis for designing high‑efficiency carbon‑neutral systems and for future demonstration studies."

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Mid‑Career Researcher Support Program, a doctoral student research stipend, the Korea‑China Cooperative Project, the Ministry of Education's 4th‑phase BK (Glocal Resource Circulation Environmental Education Research Group), and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment's Specialized Graduate School Project for Waste‑to‑Energy.