U.S. chemists say a class of natural nanostructures made of sugar, salt and alcohol can capture and store carbon dioxide while being carbon neutral themselves.

The porous crystals known as metal-organic frameworks or MOFs are made from all-natural ingredients and are simple to prepare, giving them a huge advantage over other MOFs usually prepared from materials derived from crude oil and often incorporating toxic heavy metals, researchers at Northwestern University said.

"By preparing our MOFs from naturally derived ingredients, we are not only making materials that are entirely nontoxic, but we are also cutting down on the carbon dioxide emissions associated with their manufacture," study co-author Ross S. Forgan said.

The "organic" Northwestern MOFs turn red when completely full of carbon dioxide and the carbon capture process is reversible, a Northwestern release said Friday.

The natural nanostructure's main component is a naturally occurring biorenewable sugar molecule known as gamma-cyclodextrin derived from cornstarch.

"I think this is a remarkable demonstration of how simple chemistry can be successfully applied to relevant problems like carbon capture and sensor technology," study co-author Ronald A. Smaldone said.

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