Optimizing biological carbon uptake by regulating carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium

Balancing the global carbon budget is a grand challenge and a critical research mission for sustaining life on Earth. Oceans absorb ca. 30% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions and dissolved CO2 in the oceans forms carbonic acid that dissociates to generate H+, bicarbonate, and carbonate. By regula...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Myers, Christopher R., Hibbeln, Charles F., Edmundson, Scott J., Venkata Subban, Chinmayee
Language:unknown
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1988300
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1988300
https://doi.org/10.2172/1988300
Description
Summary:Balancing the global carbon budget is a grand challenge and a critical research mission for sustaining life on Earth. Oceans absorb ca. 30% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions and dissolved CO2 in the oceans forms carbonic acid that dissociates to generate H+, bicarbonate, and carbonate. By regulating the carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium, rates of marine photosynthesis can be substantially enhanced, thereby capturing and condensing CO2 into a readily utilizable form. The specific goal of this project was to demonstrate enhanced marine biomass production at the bench-scale towards advancing sustainable marine CO2 removal. Our proof-of-concept experimental results are highly promising and we have filed a PNNL invention disclosure. In consideration of which, no further details are included in this document.