Simulation of CO2 leakages during injection and storage in sub-seabed geological formations: Metal mobilization and biota effects

• Published in: Environment International
• Main Authors: Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli, Basallote, M. Dolores, Orte, Manoela R. de, Del Valls, T. A., Riba, Inmaculada, Blasco, Julián
• Other Authors: Junta de Andalucía, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier 2014
• Subjects: Mortality; Metal mobility bioaccumulation; Sediment toxicity; Hediste diversicolor; CO2 leakage; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/103271; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.03.008; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011011

To assess the potential effects on metal mobilization due to leakages of CO2 during its injection and storage in marine systems, an experimental set-up was devised and operated, using the polychaete Hediste diversicolor as the model organism. The objective was to study the effects of such leakage in the expected scenarios of pH values between 8.0 and 6.0. Polychaetes were exposed for 10days to seawater with sediment samples collected in two different coastal areas, one with relatively uncontaminated sediment as reference (RSP) and the other with known contaminated sediment (ML), under pre-determined pH conditions. Survival and metal accumulation (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, As and Hg) in the whole body of H. diversicolor were employed as endpoints. Mortality was significant at the lowest pH level in the sediment with highest metal concentrations. In general, metal concentrations in tissues of individuals exposed to the contaminated sediment were influenced by pH. These results indicate that ocean acidification due to CO2 leakages would provoke increased metal mobilization, causing adverse side effects in sediment toxicity. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. This work was supported by the Junta de Andalucía (Regional Government) under grant reference RNM-3924, and by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under grant reference CTM 2011-2843-CO2-02. Peer Reviewed