Articles | Volume 21, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3551-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3551-2024
Research article
 | 
09 Aug 2024
Research article |  | 09 Aug 2024

An assessment of ocean alkalinity enhancement using aqueous hydroxides: kinetics, efficiency, and precipitation thresholds

Mallory C. Ringham, Nathan Hirtle, Cody Shaw, Xi Lu, Julian Herndon, Brendan R. Carter, and Matthew D. Eisaman

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Cited articles

Bach, L. T.: The additionality problem of ocean alkalinity enhancement, Biogeosciences, 21, 261–277, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-261-2024, 2024. 
Bach, L. T., Gill, S. J., Rickaby, R. E. M., Gore, S., and Renforth, P.: CO2 removal with enhanced weathering and ocean alkalinity enhancement: potential risks and co-benefits for marine pelagic ecosystems, Frontiers in Climate, 1, 7, 2019. 
Bainbridge, Z., Lewis, S., Bartley, R., Fabricius, K., Collier, C., Waterhouse, J., Garzon-Garcia, A., Robson, B., Burton, J., Wenger, A., and Brodie, J.: Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: A review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 135, 1205–1220, 2018. 
Berner, R. A., Lasaga, A. C., and Garrels, R. M.: Carbonate-silicate geochemical cycle and its effect on atmospheric carbon dioxide over the past 100 million years, Am. J. Sci., 283, https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.283.7.641, 1983. 
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement leverages the large surface area and carbon storage capacity of the oceans to store atmospheric CO2 as dissolved bicarbonate. We monitored CO2 uptake in seawater treated with NaOH to establish operational boundaries for carbon removal experiments. Results show that CO2 equilibration occurred on the order of weeks to months, was consistent with values expected from equilibration calculations, and was limited by mineral precipitation at high pH and CaCO3 saturation.
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