by Blake Armstrong
UIC INC. interviewing working scientists from around the world! <br/><br/><a href="https://uicinc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">uicinc.substack.com</a>
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9/8/2023
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March 5, 2025
<p>Scientists deliberately created a CO2 leak for this experiment, but did it cause permanent damage to the ocean floor?</p><p>Imagine a world where we can safely lock away the excess carbon dioxide that's warming our planet—deep under the ocean floor.</p><p>This isn't science fiction, but a potential solution called carbon capture and storage (CCS).</p><p>But what happens if this stored CO2 leaks?</p><p>Scientists conducted a groundbreaking experiment off the coast of Scotland, deliberately releasing carbon dioxide into shallow marine sediments to simulate a leak from an underground storage site.</p><p>For 37 days, they pumped CO2 through a drilled borehole, carefully monitoring its effects on the surrounding environment—a real-world laboratory for testing worst-case scenarios.</p><p>The results were both concerning and reassuring.</p><p>When CO2 entered the sediments, it created pockets of highly acidic conditions.</p><p>The team documented dramatic changes in the chemistry of pore waters (the water filling spaces between sediment particles), with dissolved inorganic carbon increasing more than tenfold above normal levels. This chemical shift triggered the release of metals from sediment minerals, including calcium, iron, and manganese.</p><p>But nature proved resilient.</p><p>The chemical disturbance remained surprisingly localized—extending only 25 meters from the release point. No chemical changes were detected in the overlying seawater.</p><p>And perhaps most importantly, once the CO2 injection stopped, the environment recovered quickly, returning to normal within just 18 days.</p><p>To analyze carbon in the sediments, researchers used sophisticated laboratory equipment, including CO2 coulometers manufactured by UIC Inc., which allowed precise measurement of both total inorganic carbon and total carbon in the sediment samples.</p><p>This experiment provides real-world evidence that while CO2 leaks could cause significant local changes to seafloor chemistry, these effects appear to be temporary and geographically limited.</p><p>Such findings are critical as we develop monitoring strategies and safety assessments for carbon storage projects that could help mitigate climate change while protecting marine ecosystems.</p><p>Anna Lichtschlag, Rachael H. James, Henrik Stahl, and Doug Connelly: "Effect of a controlled sub-seabed release of CO2 on the biogeochemistry of shallow marine sediments, their pore waters, and the overlying water column"</p><p>DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.10.008</p><p>1750-5836/© 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://uicinc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">uicinc.substack.com</a>
February 20, 2025
<p></p><p>Imagine a coral reef experiencing nature's version of a stress test. Scientists have discovered that coral reefs have an remarkable ability to cope with environmental challenges, much like how our bodies respond to stress. This groundbreaking research, conducted off the coast of American Samoa, reveals how corals use sophisticated cellular mechanisms to maintain their delicate balance when faced with environmental challenges.</p><p>The researchers monitored three colonies of tabletop coral (Acropora hyacinthus) for 17 days, using precise measurements of temperature, pH, and oxygen levels. Using a UIC Inc. Coulometer for carbon analysis, they tracked how these environmental changes affected the corals' chemical balance. What they found was fascinating: during the warmest parts of the day, when temperatures rose above 30.5°C, the corals activated a specific set of genes – their cellular emergency response system.</p><p>This response, known as the UPR (unfolded protein response), acts like a cellular thermostat. When temperatures spike during midday low tides, the corals quickly adjust their internal chemistry to protect themselves. It's similar to how our bodies produce heat shock proteins when we're exposed to high temperatures.</p><p>Most remarkably, the researchers discovered that this response is incredibly precise and coordinated. The corals don't just react blindly to stress – they mount a carefully orchestrated response that helps them maintain their internal balance. This finding helps explain why some corals are more resilient to environmental stress than others.</p><p>The implications are profound: understanding these cellular mechanisms could be crucial for predicting which coral reefs might survive in warming oceans. It also provides new insights into how these ancient animals have evolved to cope with environmental stress, offering hope for their survival in a changing climate.</p><p>Title: "Tidal heat pulses on a reef trigger a fine-tuned transcriptional response in corals to maintain homeostasis"</p><p>Authors: Lupita J. Ruiz-Jones and Stephen R. Palumbi</p><p>Published in: Science Advances, 2017</p><p>DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1601298</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://uicinc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">uicinc.substack.com</a>
January 8, 2025
<p>Ever wonder how we catch invisible CO2? It's like playing molecular detective, and UIC's coulometer is our high-tech magnifying glass!</p><p>Imagine a factory's emissions being scrubbed clean by special chemical sponges called amines. </p><p>But how do we know these molecular sponges are working? </p><p>That's where our clever chemistry comes in. Just like a digital scale can tell you exactly how much your morning coffee weighs, our coulometer tells us precisely how much CO2 these amine solutions have captured.</p><p>The process is fascinating: we take a tiny drop of the amine solution (smaller than a raindrop!) and introduce it to an acidic environment. This causes the CO2 to bubble out, like opening a carbonated drink. </p><p>But instead of letting it escape, we catch it in a special solution that changes color as it absorbs the CO2. By measuring how much electricity it takes to restore the original color, we can calculate exactly how much CO2 was captured - down to the microscopic level!</p><p>The best part? </p><p>This isn't just cool science - it's helping industries reduce their carbon footprint. Every measurement helps optimize carbon capture systems, making them more efficient at cleaning our air. It's like having a fitness tracker for industrial emissions, ensuring every carbon capture system is performing at its peak.</p><p>The precision is remarkable - imagine being able to detect a single grain of sugar in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. </p><p>That's the kind of sensitivity we're talking about when measuring carbon capture efficiency!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://uicinc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">uicinc.substack.com</a>
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