As human civilization further advances, there is one issue that consistently looms over us: global warming. One major contributor to this problem are the constant carbon emissions that increase the carbon present in Earth’s atmosphere. Solving this matter has been proven very difficult, but now, there may be promise in one natural resource: minerals.
Minerals are capable of having many important roles, including removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Additionally, Matthew Kanan, a Stanford professor, states that there is an endless supply of minerals capable of this process. Unfortunately, this method of carbon dioxide removal does not undergo quickly enough to counteract the carbon emissions caused by humans. To solve this problem, chemists at Stanford have devised a new procedure that uses simple rocks.
This practical, low-cost process, may be able to, according to the Stanford Report, “permanently remove atmospheric carbon dioxide.” Undergone in kilns, it uses heat to change common rocks and minerals into reactive materials able to pull carbon from the atmosphere and permanently isolate it. By effectively eliminating immense amounts of carbon already present in the atmosphere, this new technique will support the stability of our planet and prevent further warming.
According to Kanan, this method “would require less than half the energy used by leading direct air capture technologies.” This demonstrates the potential this efficient, low-cost procedure has for the environment and carbon capture industry. Many other methods to decrease the effect of global warming require difficult tasks, like decreasing the use of fossil fuels and spending a profuse amount of money. The problems other processes have further shows the success Stanford’s new technique will have with its low-cost and efficiency.
To better understand the significance of this scientific breakthrough, it is important to recognize what the process of minerals removing carbon dioxide really is. Weathering is a natural process that results when common minerals react with water and carbon dioxide to form, according to the Stanford Report, “stable bicarbonate ions and solid carbonate minerals”. But despite its impact on the environment, weathering takes hundreds, even thousands of years to undergo. For many years, scientists have tried to enhance weathering through “enhanced weathering techniques”. This new procedure created by Stanford revolutionizes enhanced weathering, and shows promising potential. In all, this new technique to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide will likely support the environment and ecosystems all over Earth and reduce the impact global warming has on life.
Related Stories:
https://interestingengineering.com/science/rocks-absorb-carbon-faster
https://chemistry.stanford.edu/news/scientists-discover-low-cost-way-trap-carbon-using-common-rocks
https://newatlas.com/environment/co2-stored-activated-rocks-stanford/
https://bioengineer.org/novel-method-accelerates-carbon-capture-using-abundant-rocks-at-low-cost/
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