A new and greener way to adsorb carbon dioxide has been discovered by a team of scientists at the University of York. This development is significant, because although human activity has been creating more CO2 than the ecosystem can handle, there hasn’t been a relatively eco-friendly way to combat it.
Our planet is built to deal with natural sources of the chemical from the processes of decomposition, ocean release and respiration. With human activity since the Industrial Revolution, including the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, the planet can’t keep up. The large amount of heat-trapping gas is affecting Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in the greenhouse effect and climate change. The International Energy Agency estimates that the burning of fossil fuels emits more than 30 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year.
Combatting Carbon Emissions
Combatting the ever-rising volume of CO2 is what the new technology out of the University of York seeks to do. It’s the latest in a long line of approaches. Currently, there are two methods to reduce CO2 admissions. The first option relies on carbon adsorbers which have the ability to create CO2-Free air at a purity of less than 1 ppm. Amine treating is another method which uses a concoction of chemicals to remove both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from natural gas.
A different approach to reducing carbon in the atmosphere is carbon capture and storage, or CCS. Here, CO2 is captured from a source, transported and stored. Usually the storage site is a geological site where the carbon dioxide is deposited underground to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this technology has not matured enough to be mass produced.
New Methods for Combating CO2
Where do we go from here? Well, chemists might have the answer.
The new technique looks to be more eco-friendly and cost-effective. It harnesses the power of Starbons, a material that contains pores, which absorb a considerable amount of carbon dioxide. Waste materials, such as food and seaweed, are used in this method. The use of these renewable and organic materials provides the greener and more efficient approach than other commercial systems of reducing emissions.
The benefits of this innovation could be staggering if industry and governments adopt the technology. It could help some of the biggest carbon dioxide-producing industries reduce their carbon footprints. Starbons come with a low price tag to produce and are a sustainable material.
If power plants and chemical manufacturers adopt Starbons into their carbon capture programs, they can pull in up to 65 percent more CO2 than previous methods, meaning less heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere and lessening the effects climate change. With this success rate and their low cost, hopefully more manufacturers will make the switch.
Humans have created excess carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere, and now advancements are being made to rectify this problem. The latest advancement by University of York scientists show that human ingenuity can move us away from planet destruction and move more in line with the Earth’s health and needs.
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