Electrodeposition of Carbon-Trapping Minerals in Seawater for Variable Electrochemical Potentials and Carbon Dioxide Injections

[Geoengineering News]

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adsu.202400943

Authors: Nishu Devi, Xiaohui Gong, Daiki Shoji, Amy Wagner, Alexandre Guerini, Davide Zampini, Jeffrey Lopez, Alessandro F. Rotta Loria

First published: 18 March 2025

https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202400943

Abstract

Seawater offers immense potential for addressing global energy and climate challenges. Electrochemical seawater splitting is a sustainable approach for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration, producing hydrogen gas at the cathode and oxygen or chlorine gas at the anode. Simultaneously, minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide precipitate at the cathode, especially when coupled with CO2 injections for the sake of CO2 sequestration. These precipitates are often dismissed as energy-intensive byproducts. However, they have untapped potential as resources for construction, manufacturing, and environmental remediation. Here, a comprehensive experimental investigation is presented into the electrochemical precipitation of minerals in seawater under varying operational conditions. By systematically varying applied voltage, current density, and CO2 flow rate, the conditions that optimize mineral yield and selectivity while minimizing energy consumption are revealed. The findings advance the understanding of electrochemical synthesis and material processing in aqueous solutions, with a particular focus on the mineralization of calcareous compounds and their transformation into large-scale aggregates. These findings also support an additional and highly scalable application of seawater electrolysis, encompassing not only oceanic renewable hydrogen production and CO2 sequestration but also the sustainable production of carbon-trapping minerals and aggregates.

Source: Wiley Online Library 

[Tom Goreau]

It should be noted that most of this is discussed in:

 

Hilbertz, Wolf H. "Solar-generated building material from seawater as a sink for carbon." Ambio (Journal of the Human Environment, Research and Management);(Sweden) 21.2 (1992).

 

T. J. Goreau, 2012, Marine electrolysis for building materials and environmental restoration, p. 273-290 in Electrolysis, J. Kleperis & V. Linkov (Eds.), InTech Publishing

 

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/40137

https://www.globalcoral.org/marine-electrolysis-for-building-materials-and-environmental-restoration/

 

 

Thomas J. F. Goreau, PhD
President, Global Coral Reef Alliance

Chief Scientist, Biorock Technology Inc., Blue Regeneration SL

Technical Advisor, Blue Guardians Programme, SIDS DOCK

37 Pleasant Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

gor...@globalcoral.org
www.globalcoral.org
Phone: (1) 857-523-0807 (leave message)

 

Books:

Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase

https://www.routledge.com/Geotherapy-Innovative-Methods-of-Soil-Fertility-Restoration-Carbon-Sequestration-and-Reversing-CO2-Increase/Goreau-Larson-Campe/p/book/9781466595392

 

Innovative Methods of Marine Ecosystem Restoration

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.1201/b14314/innovative-methods-marine-ecosystem-restoration-robert-kent-trench-thomas-goreau

 

On the Nature of Things: The Scientific Photography of Fritz Goro

 

Geotherapy: Regenerating ecosystem services to reverse climate change

 

No one can change the past, everybody can change the future

 

It’s much later than we think, especially if we don’t think

 

Those with their heads in the sand will see the light when global warming and sea level rise wash the beach away

 

“When you run to the rocks, the rocks will be melting, when you run to the sea, the sea will be boiling”, Peter Tosh, Jamaica’s greatest song writer

 

“The Earth is not dying, she is being killed” U. Utah Phillips

 

“It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies” Noam Chomsky

 

 

 

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[Michael Hayes]

Thank you, Tom.

The work completed by everyone has been truly exceptional.

As you are aware, the bio-electrical stimulation component of Biorock is anticipated to offer additional advantages for carbon management.

When operating at mCDR scale, a large-scale Biorock operation would likely generate gigatons of raw biomass through the additional biotic growth stimulation.

The CDR X-Prize was awarded to a group that intends to submerge terrestrial biomass in the Ocean, yet Biorock production sites will coincidentally be depositing significant amounts of biomass into the deep as a beneficial carbon byproduct. If so, that will negate the potential stress on terrestrial biomass use for gigaton scale CDR as well as eliminate the cost of transport and processing of the terrestrial biomass.

Best regards.

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[chris....@btinternet.com]

Michael,

 

I thought that the CDR X-Prize winner was Mati Carbon who do enhanced rock weathering on land. Two awards of $1M each went to Planetary and Project Hajar.

 

Chris.

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[Chris Van Arsdale]

I feel like people keep forgetting that precipitating CaCO3 causes the ocean to outgas CO2, not sequester more of it.

And CaCO3 is not considered an "energy-intensive byproduct"... one can get it to crash out without any energy.

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[Tom Goreau]

Your point is indeed widely misunderstood.

 

It applies to calcium carbonate precipitated by local seawater pH increase, whether chemically or biologically.

 

However in sea water electrolysis the alkalinity produced at one electrode is balanced by acidity produced at the other electrode, making the net effect CO2 neutral.

 

Side reactions at the other electrode that do not produce acidity make the net balance CO2-negative, locally reversing ocean acidification (Goreau, 2012).

 

In the industrial processes others have proposed, using non-seawater chemistry and biology, expensive materials need to be brought to do what seawater does for free, making them economically unattractive.

 

Best wishes,

Tom Goreau

[Michael Hayes]

Chris and the team, I apologize for the error and extend my apologies to the award recipients. Terrestrial crops undeniably require all possible support.

Regarding large-scale biorock production and its application to croplands, the calcium carbonate flakes generated by Biorock technology may offer a more practical solution for coastal regions compared to mineral dust. This is particularly relevant for low-income coastal communities that may lack the financial resources for the mining, milling, and transportation of inland, or even coastal, minerals for their agricultural needs.

Currently, mineral processing is both carbon-intensive and costly. In contrast, Biorock production appears to be carbon-negative and presents a cost-effective, low-tech alternative.

Best regards,