Descrizione del progetto
Studio della carbonatazione minerale naturale per combattere i cambiamenti climatici
La carbonatazione minerale emerge come una soluzione promettente per affrontare i cambiamenti climatici. Tuttavia, è stata prestata poca attenzione alla gestione e alla valorizzazione delle sue presenze naturali. Il progetto OASIS, finanziato dalle azioni Marie Skłodowska-Curie, cerca di colmare questa lacuna conducendo ricerche sull’erosione accelerata delle rocce (ERW, enhanced rock weathering) per velocizzare questo lento processo. Inoltre, il progetto studierà l’assorbimento di umidità nelle zone aride, potenzialmente in grado di offrire preziosi pozzi di carbonio a lungo termine. Attraverso esperimenti e infrastrutture per simulare le condizioni e i cambiamenti climatici, OASIS intende migliorare la nostra comprensione della carbonatazione minerale naturale. In ultima analisi, l’obiettivo è quello di trarre conclusioni sui benefici della ERW nelle zone aride. I risultati del progetto dovrebbero fornire argomenti convincenti per l’attuazione di misure di conservazione e la promozione di pratiche agricole sostenibili nelle regioni aride.
Obiettivo
Mineral carbonation is based on the reaction of CO2 with metal oxide bearing materials to precipitate insoluble carbonates, with calcium being one of the most attractive metals. While the development of industrial carbonation processes has been recommended to mitigate climate change, its natural occurrence in soils and its potential enhancement through management practices has received little attention so far. Since natural carbonation is commonly considered to be a slow process, spreading powder of non-carbonated, calcium-bearing minerals over soils, a strategy known as enhanced rock weathering (ERW), is a promising way to accelerate it. While humid tropical areas are generally regarded as having the greatest potential for ERW, recent evidence suggests that carbonation may also be significant in drylands, driven by water vapour adsorption (WVA) by soil at night, potentially representing an overlooked long-term carbon sink. The general objective of the OASIS project is to assess the potential of ERW in dryland soils. Its main underlying assumption is that optimizing WVA with amendment of highly adsorbent ground rock will maximize the carbonation process while reducing the dependence of phototrophic organisms on rainfall or irrigation. To tackle this objective, OASIS will implement field and mesocosm manipulative experiments using cutting-edge infrastructure to control environmental conditions and simulate climate change. These will be coupled to state-of-the-art measurements and isotopic tracing of soil-atmosphere water vapor and CO2 fluxes. This research will contribute to filling several gaps in our understanding of natural carbonation and its interactions with WVA, organisms, and climate change. It is also expected to provide solid arguments to implement conservation measures and sustainable agricultural practices in drylands or seasonally dry lands to protect and increase water and carbon resources, in line with several European and global guidelines.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologycivil engineeringwater engineeringirrigation
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compounds
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metals
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and management
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global FellowshipsCoordinatore
03690 Alicante
Spagna