CEEES - Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) through Agricultural Mineral Weathering

Research shows that the capacity of soil to store carbon dioxide is increased with the addition of minerals, which can be beneficial to soil in an agricultural context. Combined with the hydrological cycle, the dynamics of carbon storage and groundwater transport change depending on the geological conditions and the mineral addition type.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is commonly emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and industries like cement production that the United States uses for 60% of energy production. While greenhouse gases are essential for keeping the planet a warm temperature to sustain life, the excess emissions from fossil fuels are warming the planet at harmful rates to the environment. Carbon sinks extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus helping to alleviate the damaging effects of excess greenhouse gases. Intentional manipulations to enhance carbon sequestration are called Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).

The purpose of this study is to determine whether various minerals such as olivine, wollastonite, CaOH, and volcanic ash are effective in CDR and reducing carbon dioxide levels in different environments and conditions. These minerals also help the soil absorb nutrients, thus benefiting the crops that grow on the mineral-enriched soil. A soil flux chamber will be used to monitor the variability of gas concentrations within a closed space through continuous measurements. It is hypothesized that the data collected will demonstrate and steer policies for decreasing carbon dioxide when the soils have additive minerals.