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Lookup NU author(s): Phil Renforth, Professor David ManningORCiD
Carbon dioxide sequestration through carbonation of calcium or magnesium-rich silicate materials is a geoengineering technology that could mitigate a substantial proportion of anthropogenic emissions. Contemporary mineral carbonation research considers optimising this process to overcome energy requirements for mineral pre-treatment and reactor operation. This paper compliments previous studies in this area by demonstrating enhanced weathering through the action of organic acids including those exuded by plant roots. Batch weathering experiments, conducted as part of this study, with hydrated cement gels have shown that up to 80-85 % of calcium is leached from the material in 5 hours when exposed to solutions containing citrate anions, at an approximate log weathering rate between -8.26 to -6.86 molCa cm-2 sec-1, which is much more rapid than observed carbonate precipitation rates in previous studies for urban soils that contain cement-derived minerals. Thus Ca availability is not rate limiting. Coupled silicate-dissolution/carbonate precipitation reactions provide a carbon sequestration function that can be designed into soils specifically engineered to facilitate carbon capture.
Author(s): Renforth P, Manning DAC
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Year: 2011
Volume: 5
Issue: 6
Pages: 1578-1586
Print publication date: 01/11/2011
Date deposited: 07/10/2011
ISSN (print): 1750-5836
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.09.001
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.09.001
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