Novel field trial for ocean alkalinity enhancement using electrochemically derived aqueous alkalinity

[Geoengineering News]

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-engineering/articles/10.3389/fenve.2025.1641277/abstract

Authors

Allison M Savoie, Mallory Ringham, Carolina Torres Sanchez, Brendan R Carter, Sean Dougherty, Richard Alan Feely, Dave Hegeman, Julian Herndon, Tarang Khangaonkar, Jeremy Loretz,Tyson Minck, Todd Pelman, Lakshitha Premathilake, Chinmayee Subban, Jesse Vance, Nicholas David Ward

29 July 2025

Abstract

Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) may serve as a feasible means of mitigating rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the future, as it is potentially capable of Gt-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Numerous studies have tested various methods of OAE in laboratory or mesocosm studies. However, few field trials have been conducted thus far to release alkaline feedstock into the surface ocean. This manuscript details a first-of-its-kind dispersal of electrochemically derived aqueous alkalinity using the wastewater treatment facility at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, WA. The alkaline signal was modeled at the facility outfall and monitored throughout the wastewater treatment facility. Description of the scale of the study and monitoring results are valuable input for the mCDR community as more experiments advance to field trial stages and require data for discharge permitting. This research is well-suited for the scope of the special research topic we are submitting the manuscript to, titled "Environmental Engineering Perspectives on Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal" at Frontiers in Environmental Engineering, as this manuscript focuses on the feasibility of using multiple engineered systems for the deployment and monitoring of OAE.

Source: Frontiers