Microalgal sporopollenin from Chlorella vulgaris cultivated using coal power plant CO2

Sporopollenin is a chemically robust biopolymer known for its resistance to environmental degradation and diverse functional potential. This study pioneers the successful extraction of sporopollenin from Chlorella vulgaris cultured in coal-fired flue gas using an innovative alkali-acid two-stage protocol. Multiscale characterization revealed that, despite its irregular morphology, microalgal sporopollenin shares high structural similarity with pollen-derived counterparts. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis confirmed similar functional groups and elemental profiles. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified fatty acids as the major structural units, while solid-state 13 C SSNMR spectroscopy revealed a hybrid architecture comprising aliphatic, aromatic, and heterocyclic components. These findings provide molecular insight into the evolutionary continuity of sporopollenin and highlight a scalable, green approach for transforming industrial emissions into high-value biomaterials.