Adding lime to seawater: a way to reduce the rate of CO2 in the atmosphere

Scientists say they have found a possible way to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere by adding lime to seawater. They think that this measure can significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere (reported by Cath O'Driscoll in SCI's Chemistry & Industry magazine).

Shell was impressed with the new method, which funded research for the economic feasibility of the method. Shelll's Gilles Bertherin - collaborating on the project - said: 'We think this is a promising idea. It brings great benefits to the environment from focusing on climate change. The addition of calcium hydroxide to seawater will also minimize the impact of ocean acidification. It also has a positive effect on the marine environment. '

Adding lime to seawater increases alkalinity, increases the ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air of seawater and reduces the tendency to reduce the release of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

The new study published feasible measures to reduce the rate of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by adding lime to seawater.(Photo: iStockphoto / Chuck Babbitt )

However, the opinion discussed for many years is not feasible because of the cost of treating limestone for lime as well as the amount of carbon dioxide released from processing.

Tim Kruger, management consultant at London firm Corven, is behind the project to restore the limestone processing cycle. He argued that the cycle could be feasible by fixing it in areas associated with a low-cost energy source that is considered too small to exploit economic benefits, such as natural gas. Natural or solar energy in the desert. At the same time, it is necessary to search for areas rich in limestone, turning these places into potential areas for calcination.

Kruger said: 'There are many such places, such as the Nullarbor plain in Australia, which can become the main processing site because there are 10,000 km3 of limestone and absorb up to 20MJ / m2 of sunlight every day.' .

The process of making lime will release carbon dioxide, but adding limestone to seawater will absorb twice the amount of carbon dioxide released in the process. Therefore the processing cycle is generally a carbon-free process.

According to Kruger, 'the process has the ability to reverse the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is possible to reduce the rate of carbon dioxide below pre-industrial levels.

Professor Klaus Lackner, a field researcher at Columbia University, said: 'The theoretical carbonic balance is quite correct. This project is definitely worth thinking about. '

Oceans are the largest carbon sinks in the world, absorbing about 2 billion tons of carbon per year. Increasing absorption by only a few percent can significantly increase the amount of carbon dioxide obtained from the atmosphere.

The project is currently being developed in the direction of expansion.