Nature – Taqieddin et al. (2024): Electrochemical ocean iron fertilization and alkalinity enhancement approach toward CO2 sequestration
Amir Taqieddin, Stephanie Sarrouf, Muhammad Fahad Ehsan, Ken Buesseler, Akram N. Alshawabkeh IN: npj Ocean Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-024-00064-8
Herein, a novel self-operating electrochemical technology is presented that not only combines ocean iron fertilization (OIF) and ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), but also recovers hydrogen gas (H2) from seawater, hence offering a promising solution for achieving quantifiable and transparent large-scale mCDR. Experimental results show that the electrochemical OIF (EOIF) can not only increase the concentration of ferrous iron (Fe+2) by 0–0.5 mg/L, but also significantly increases the seawater pH by 8% (i.e., a 25% decrease in the hydrogen ions concentration). The release of iron (Fe+2/Fe+3) can be regulated by adjusting the magnitude of the electric current and its form (e.g., pulsed current and polarity reversal), as well as by optimizing the electrode material and geometry.