A technology that converts carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater into a solid mineral has demonstrated continuous carbon removal, according to a new study.
The research team, led by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), developed a system known as electrochemical dissolved ocean carbon removal (e-DOC).
The technology works by converting carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolved in seawater into calcium carbonate, a solid mineral commonly found in rocks such as limestone and chalk. In this form, the carbon can be permanently stored and prevented from returning to the atmosphere, effectively helping the ocean to continuously absorb new CO2.
The ocean is the planet’s largest carbon reservoir, absorbing about 30% of the CO2 emitted by human activity. Because of this researchers are looking to develop marine carbon removal technologies to help our oceans absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere.
However, these researchers...