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How does Oil affect the Environment?
Fossil fuels are burnt on a huge scale (continued).
Reducing the amount
of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere
or stopping more carbon dioxide
from entering
it
can be achieved by carbon capture,
converting carbon dioxide
into hydrocarbons (or other
fuels)
or by iron seeding of oceans
- see below.
What is Carbon Capture?
Technology can be used to trap some of the carbon dioxide
emitted by power stations and
stop it from entering
the atmosphere.
This is called carbon capture.
Trapped carbon dioxide can be stored in old oil
or gas fields
which are no longer used. Some of these are under the North Sea.
Converting
Carbon Dioxide into Hydrocarbons
or Other Fuels.
It is possible to react carbon dioxide with hydrogen
and use it as a source of other hydrocarbons
or alcohols.
The process is complex and requires energy
to both
do the
conversion and to produce hydrogen
for the reactions.
What is
Iron Seeding of Oceans?
Iron seeding of oceans involves
adding iron to an area of
an ocean at a depth which is close to the sea
surface.
In the upper layer of the
sea there are a large number of
tiny
creatures
which are mostly too small to see called
phytoplankton. These creatures contain chlorophyll
and
will
photosynthesize. They multiply rapidly in the
presence
of an increased level of
iron
forming phytoplankton
blooms.
The
resulting increased level of
photosynthesis
removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
It must be said that the three methods
described above
are in their experimental stages and are not yet
widely
used to decrease the level of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
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