Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are conducting trials to determine how marine creatures respond to varying levels of alkalinity in the ocean. This research is part of the LOC-NESS initiative, which explores marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) techniques, specifically ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE).
OAE aims to increase the ocean's capacity to absorb atmospheric carbon by dispersing alkaline materials. Last summer, a team led by Adam Subhas deployed approximately 65,000 litres of sodium hydroxide into the Gulf of Maine's Wilkinson basin, monitoring alkalinity and carbon uptake for four days.
The team is currently examining two years of trial data, focusing on lobsters after initial studies on phytoplankton. Marine biologist Chris Murray, who designed the lobster experiment, stated that no lethal effects have been observed so far from either low or high alkalinity levels. The next step involves analysing the lobsters' RNA to understand their physiological response, particularly their ability to secrete waste.
While US federal funding for ocean sciences has seen significant cuts, European academic grants for marine carbon dioxide removal research have increased. Over the past two years, the European Union has disbursed more than £8.5m in grants to over 20 universities across Britain and Europe.