Phys.org September 5, 2023 CO2 can be selectively reduced by gold, lead, etc. supported on conductive carbon. However, the high pH in the vicinity of the electrode raises concerns about the catalyst and catalyst support degradation. Researchers in Japan used chemically stable titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder as an alternative to carbon. TiO2 maintained its particle shape and crystalline structure after in-liquid plasma treatment was used to improve its electrochemical properties. When its electrochemical properties were evaluated, they observed the disappearance of Ti4+ and Ti3+ redox peaks derived from TiO2 and a decrease in hydrogen overvoltage. The hydrogen overvoltage relationship suggested […]
Category Archives: Carbon sequestration
Diazotrophs are overlooked contributors to carbon and nitrogen export to the deep ocean
Phys.org October 17, 2022 Diazotrophs are widespread microorganisms that alleviate nitrogen limitation in 60% of our oceans, thereby regulating marine productivity. Yet, the group-specific contribution of diazotrophs to organic matter export has not been quantified. An international team of researchers (France, Israel, Spain) examined the fate of five groups of globally distributed diazotrophs by using an original combination of mesopelagic particle sampling devices across the subtropical South Pacific Ocean. They demonstrated that cyanobacterial and non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs are exported down to 1000 m depth. Phycoerythrin-containing UCYN-B and UCYN-C-like cells were recurrently found embedded in large organic aggregates or organized into clusters of […]
Safer carbon capture and storage
Science Daily December 29, 2021 From the gene-sequencing analyses of the behaviour of CO2 within a CO2-Eenhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) flooded oil field an international team of researchers (UK, USA – Woods hole Oceanographic Institution, industry, France, Canada) has shown that up to 74% of CO2 left behind by CO2-EOR was dissolved in the groundwater. It also revealed, that microbial methanogenesis converted as much as 13-19% of the injected CO2 to methane, which is a stronger greenhouse gas than CO2. The authors suggest that this process is occurring at other CO2-rich natural gas fields and CO2-EOR oil fields. Temperature is […]