Optimizing biological carbon uptake by regulating carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium

• Main Authors: Myers, Christopher R., Hibbeln, Charles F., Edmundson, Scott J., Venkata Subban, Chinmayee
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: The Bench; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1988300; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1988300; https://doi.org/10.2172/1988300

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.