CALCIUM CARBONATE PRODUCTION BY COCCOLITHOPHORID ALGAE IN LONG TERM, CARBON DIOXIDE SEQUESTRATION [electronic resource]
Predictions of increasing levels of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the specter of global warming have intensified research efforts to identify ways to sequester carbon. A number of novel avenues of research are being considered, including bioprocessing methods to promote and accelerate biose...
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Online Access |
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| Corporate Authors: | , |
| Format: | Government Document Electronic eBook |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Morgantown, W.Va. : Oak Ridge, Tenn. :
National Energy Technology Laboratory (U.S.) ; distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy,
2004.
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| Subjects: |
| Summary: | Predictions of increasing levels of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the specter of global warming have intensified research efforts to identify ways to sequester carbon. A number of novel avenues of research are being considered, including bioprocessing methods to promote and accelerate biosequestration of CO₂ from the environment through the growth of organisms such as coccolithophorids, which are capable of sequestering CO₂ relatively permanently. Calcium and magnesium carbonates are currently the only proven, long-term storage reservoirs for carbon. Whereas organic carbon is readily oxidized and releases CO₂ through microbial decomposition on land and in the sea, carbonates can sequester carbon over geologic time scales. This proposal investigates the use of coccolithophorids--single-celled, marine algae that are the major global producers of calcium carbonate--to sequester CO₂ emissions from power plants. Cultivation of coccolithophorids for calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) precipitation is environmentally benign and results in a stable product with potential commercial value. Because this method of carbon sequestration does not impact natural ecosystem dynamics, it avoids controversial issues of public acceptability and legality associated with other options such as direct injection of CO₂ into the sea and ocean fertilization. Consequently, cultivation of coccolithophorids could be carried out immediately and the amount of carbon sequestered as CaCO₃ could be readily quantified. The significant advantages of this approach warrant its serious investigation. The major goals of the proposed research are to identify the growth conditions that will result in the maximum amount of CO₂ sequestration through coccolithophorid calcite production and to evaluate the costs/benefits of using coccolithophorid cultivation ponds or bioreactors to abate CO₂ emissions from power plants. |
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| Item Description: | Published through the Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information. 10/30/2004. V.J. Fabry. (US) |
| Physical Description: | 17 pages : digital, PDF file. |