Acidification is threatening the ocean’s ability to pull carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere, but scientists and startups are exploring ocean-sized antacids as a potential solution. This blog post delves into the issues surrounding ocean acidification and the promising yet controversial efforts to combat it.
The Alarming Rise of Ocean Acidification
It is worrying to think of the crisis that our oceans are facing and isn’t just about plastic pollution or overfishing. Because of ocean acidification, a product of the CO2 we are emitting, those marine ecosystems as we know them could be in serious danger.
The more CO2 the ocean takes up, the more it acidifies and the less hospitable it is to life. Coral, shellfish and plankton are among those marine organisms that struggle with this new reality. By acidifying the ocean, we will not only end so many important species, but also destroy basically our entire food chain, which in turn would make the oceans stop regulating our climate.
In short, the runaway train has been leaving the station for a long time and the Apocalypse is raining down on us, but louder than ever. The need for a remedy is pressing, and this is where ocean-sized antacids enter the picture.
Antacids to the Rescue?
As pH levels in the ocean continue to fall, scientists and startups around the world are working on new ideas to address ocean acidification. The answer is crucial and may be casting ocean-sized antacids to raise its pH, a lifeline for marine life.
Crushed limestone (one of the most common) or ground-up shells are used as antacids helping to neutralize any extra acidity in the water, and even enhanced weathering of certain mineralsDrawerToggleDisable();?> In doing so, a more hospitable environment is established for coral reefs, shellfish and other vital people of the sea.
It is easy to understand the concept, but not so much in its implementation. The problem is that deploying such antacids — and in quantites sufficient to have a meaningful impact is no simple task. Scientists are testing methods from dumping the substances overboard from ships to using autonomous drones to spread them across huge expanses of the ocean.
This approach could be hugely beneficial. If they work, aragonite antacids could be a powerful natural carbon sequestration system to help the ocean recapture and continue storing some of our excess CO2. This in turn can have far-reaching effects on our entire climate, delaying global warming a little, and perhaps giving the planet some breathing space.
Conclusion
Ocean-sized antacids may not provide the magic elixir that solves the climate problem, but they offer a potential ray of hope against ocean acidification. New initiatives such as this are essential if we are to tackle the myriad of problems facing our oceans. If we invest in research and development, and work together across disciplines, eventually the oceans will be flourishing again — and when that occurs they will play a significant role in supporting our delicate planet.
