Chemo-biological hybrid systems, which integrate chemical catalysis with biocatalysis, combine the high efficiency of abiotic catalysts with the exquisite selectivity of biological processes and are emerging as powerful platforms for the utilization of inert carbon resources. Plastics are highly resistant to natural degradation, and their production is accompanied by substantial CO 2 emissions, resulting in the long-term sequestration of carbon outside the natural carbon cycle. Redirecting carbon from waste plastics and CO 2 back into value-added products is therefore of critical importance for both environmental sustainability and socioeconomic development. This review initially summarizes the major recycling and valorization pathways of two inert carbon resources—waste plastics and CO 2 —covering chemical catalytic approaches such as photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, as well as biological transformation, while discussing their respective advantages and limitations. Subsequently, the focus shifts to recent advances in chemo-biological hybrid systems for plastic recycling and CO 2 valorization, with particular emphasis on system configuration and the underlying mechanism. Finally, the key challenges and future opportunities for establishing a sustainable plastic circular economy based on chemo-biological hybrid systems are discussed. Overall, this review highlights the potential of integrating chemical and biological catalysis to recover and valorize inert carbon resources, thereby contributing to green and sustainable economic development.
Li et al. (Mon,) studied this question.