Work

Rapid CO2 mineralisation into calcite at the CarbFix storage site quantified using calcium isotopes

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: The engineered removal of atmospheric CO2 is now considered a key component of mitigating climate warming below 1.5 °C. Mineral carbonation is a potential negative emissions technique that, in the case of Iceland’s CarbFix experiment, precipitates dissolved CO2 as carbonate minerals in basaltic groundwater settings. Here we use calcium (Ca) isotopes in both pre- and post-CO2 injection waters to quantify the amount of carbonate precipitated, and hence CO2 stored. Ca isotope ratios rapidly increase with the pH and calcite saturation state, indicating calcite precipitation. Calculations suggest that up to 93% of dissolved Ca is removed into calcite during certain phases of injection. In total, our results suggest that 165 ± 8.3 t CO2 were precipitated into calcite, an overall carbon storage efficiency of 72 ± 5%. The success of this approach opens the potential for quantification of similar mineral carbonation efforts where drawdown rates cannot be estimated by other means.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10003-8

Authors: Philip A. E. Pogge von Strandmann, Kevin W. Burton, Sandra O. Snæbjörnsdóttir, Bergur Sigfússon, Edda S. Aradóttir, Ingvi Gunnarsson, Helgi A. Alfredsson, Kiflom G. Mesfin, Eric H. Oelkers, Sigurður R. Gislason

Institutions: University College London, Birkbeck, University of London, Durham University, University of Iceland, Institute of Earth Sciences, Reykjavík Energy (Iceland), Sandvik (Norway), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Géosciences Environnement Toulouse

Language: English

Topic: CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,200

Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, NERC Environmental Bioinformatics Centre, University of Southampton, European Commission, University of Bristol, Háskóli Íslands, Natural Environment Research Council

Awards: G1055805458, G1172204108, G1222419667, TAS::89 0213::TAS NEW AWARD ENTITLED "RADIOCARBON AS A REACTIVE TRACER FOR TRACKING PERMANENT CO2 STORAGE IN BASALTIC ROCKS.", Testing the control of weathering on CO2 - evidence from extreme climate events, G3286417142, G434337789, G441173234, G4732405468, G4779510014, G4982745546, G5825316776, Science for Clean Energy, Upscaling and optimizing subsurface, in situ carbon mineralization as an economically viable industrial option, Creating the technology for safe, long-term carbon storage in the subsurface, G8776938807

OpenAlex ID: W2942598529

FWCI: 5.717

Cites: 27

Cited by: 210

Related to: 10