In an attempt to make use of the carbon dioxide emissions, engineering professors, students and scientists from Columbia University, the Universities of Copenhagen and Iceland, and Reykjavik Energy created a solid rock out of a stored carbon dioxide. And the results blew them away.
The process that is supposed to take centuries to achieve was done by the team in just two years. They have successfully converted carbon dioxide into solid rock way shorter than expected.
The process they call CarbFix involves injecting 175 tons of pure carbon dioxide and mixing it with hydrogen sulphide and water. Despite the extreme water pressure, the carbon dissolved. This mixture was pumped deeper into a layer of basaltic rock, where the magic happened: the mixture turned into a stable carbonate mineral in the course of two years.
Engineering Professors, Students and Scientists are Converting Air Pollution to Solid Rocks (Source: NDTV)
But there’s more. The study also found that this can even be shortened into just months given the right conditions.
“The results of this study demonstrate that nearly complete in situ CO2 mineralization in basaltic rocks can occur in less than 2 years,” the authors wrote. “Once stored within carbonate minerals, the leakage risk is eliminated and any monitoring program of the storage site can be significantly reduced, thus enhancing storage security and potentially public acceptance.
Engineering Professors, Students and Scientists are Converting Air Pollution to Solid Rocks (Source: Orkuveita Reykjavíkur)
Engineering Professors, Students and Scientists are Converting Air Pollution to Solid Rocks (Source: Arni Saeberg)
MEET THE GORGEOUS HEROES
Edda Sif Aradóttir, PhD
Project Manager – Reykjavik Energy
Image Source: Flickr
Sigurður Reynir Gíslason
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Source: Daily Herald
Eric H. Oelkers
Research Director – Chemistry and Earth Science – CNRS UMR 5563 / Universtié Paul Sabatier, France
Source: isonose
Martin Stute
Adjunct Senior Research Scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Ann Whitney Olin Professor And Co-Chair at Environmental Science Barnard College, USA
Source: scoopnest
Juerg Matter
Associate Professor in Geoengineering within Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, UK
Source: Oman Drilling
Deirdre Clark – Ph.D. student
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
- Universiteit Utrecht – Master of Science (MSc), Earth Surface and Water
- The George Washington University – Bachelor of Science (BSc), Geological Sciences
- The George Washington University – Bachelor of Arts (BA), Environmental Studies
Image source: santamariaworld
Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir
Ph.D. student, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Image source: pressan
Alexandra Murata
Ph.D. student, Columbia University
Image source: Linkedin
Bailey Griswold
Ph.D. student, Columbia University
Image source: Columbia University
Jennifer Hall
Ph.D. student, Columbia University
Alexandra Bausch
Ph.D. student, Columbia University
Image source: Linkedin
Alexander Gysi
Ph.D. student, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Image source: Colorado School of Mines
Gabrielle J. Stockmann, Ph.D.
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Image Source: Linkedin
Helgi Arnar Alfreðsson
Ph.D. student – Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Source: University of Iceland
Iwona Galeczka
Ph.D. student – Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Source: starfsfolk
Kiflom Gebrehiwot Mesfin
Ph.D. student – Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Snorri Guðbrandsson
Ph.D. student – Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Source: Linkedin
Therese Kaarbo Flaathen
Ph.D. Graduate – Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Source: erichoelkers
Jonas Olsson
Ph.D. student – University of Copenhagen
Source: Linkedin
Olivier BOSC
Ph.D. student – Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
Julien Declercq
Ph.D. – Université Paul Sabatier
Source: EAG Blog
Elísabet Vilborg Ragnheiðardóttir
M.Sc. Graduate, REYST
Source: notendur
Mahnaz Rezvani Khalil Abad
M.Sc. Graduate, University of Iceland
Source: Linkedin
Diana Fernandez de la Reguera
M.Sc. Graduate, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, US
Source: Mercury Press International
Luke Brough
M.Sc. Student, University of Waterloo/University of Copenhagen
Inger Aaberg
M.Sc. Student, University of Copenhagen
Source: Linkedin
