INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PALAKKAD

ID1010 ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT

TERM PROJECT REPORT

GROUP 13
ROLL NO. GROUP MEMBERS

142301015 KALAVA DHEERAJ RAM

142301016 KEDIKA VARSHITHA REDDY

102301018 KOTHA ADARSH REDDY

112301016 KEMISETTY ASHIEL KALYANI

102301017 KOMARAM BHAVANA SRI

142301014 KALAGANDA PAVAN

INSTRUCTORS: Dr. Athira P

Dr. Praveena Gangadharan
Dr. Deepak Jaiswal
PROBLEM STATEMENT:Ocean Acidification

Chemistry of Ocean Acidification:

• The shells of animals like crabs are formed primarily of calcium
carbonate which is very essential for many habitats and life.
CaCO3 is formed when calcium ions bind with carbonate
molecules.Once absorbed into the ocean co2 combines with
water to form carbonic acid carbonic acid breaks down easily
into bicarbonate molecules and hydrogen ions.Calcium and
bicarbonate cannot bind together to form shells carbonate that
usually formed shells finds more easily with the hydrogen ions this
makes them unable to form shelves.Ocean carbonate is taken
from the water and combined with calcium to form the shells of
many animals in an acidic ocean abundant hydrogen ions bind
with carbonate and prevent shell formation animals like these
crabs and those that depend on them for food may eventually
disappear if they cannot easily form their shells.
 INDICATORS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION :
• The indicators of ocean acidification are PH, Aragonite
saturation state, Total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and
few important Biological indicators are Changes in shell growth,
Changes in larval development, Changes in abundance and
distribution.

• This Ocean Acidification is caused by high uptake of carbon

dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere which is a consequence of
the rising concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere.
Oceans absorb around 30% of this odorless invisible gas.
Major amount of CO2 that is 89% of the CO2 is released
into the atmosphere by Burning of Fossil Fuels for producing
Energy.
 INVENTORY ANALYSIS : CHEVRON INDUSTRY
Our chosen ocean which is North pacific ocean, is majorly affected by
Chevron Industry. The processes carried out in power generation by
combustion of oil in the Chevron Industry are:
• Oil Extraction, Transportation ,Refining and Distribution.
• Combustion
• Steam Generation
• Steam Turbine
• Electricity Generation
• Cooling
• Water Circulation
• Emissions Control
• Waste Disposal
• The amount of co2 released in each step of power generation by
combustion of oil is,
• Oil Extraction, Transportation, Refining and Distribution:
1. Oil Extraction : Producing one barrel of oil releases about 28
kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere.
2.Oil Transportation : Transporting one barrel of oil over a distance of
1,000 kilometers releases about 42 kilograms of CO2 into
the atmosphere.
3.Oil Refining : Refining one barrel of oil releases about 14 kilograms of
CO2 into the atmosphere.
4.Oil Distribution : Distributing one barrel of oil over a distance of 1,000
kilometers releases about 3 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Combustion: Burning one gallon of heating oil releases about 26
pounds of CO2.
Steam Generation: Generating one gigajoule of steam from oil releases
about 150 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Steam Turbine: The average amount of CO2 released in steam turbine
of oil is 200-600 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Electricity Generation: Generating one kilowatt hour of electricity from
oil releases about 0.39 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Cooling: The average amount of CO2 released in the cooling of oil is
estimated to be around 0.1 to 0.5 grams of CO2 per liter of oil cooled.
Water Circulation: The average amount of CO2 released in the water
circulation of oil is estimated to be around 0.01 to 0.1 grams of CO2 per
liter of oil circulated.
Emissions Control: The average amount of CO2 released in emissions
control of oil is estimated to be around 100-200 grams of CO2
per barrel of oil.
Waste Disposal: The average amount of CO2 released in waste
disposal of oil is estimated to be around 0.05 to 0.15 grams of CO2 per
liter of oil disposed of.
On an average generating one megawatt-hour of electricity from oil
releases about 522 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Case study : Ocean acidification of The North Pacific Ocean

Scientists has conducted hydrographic and chemical surveys of

the north pacific ocean, regarding increasing amounts of carbon
dioxide emitted to the atmosphere by the human activities.It graphs
from the survey shows that with increase in CO2 concentration in the
atmosphere, the seawater CO2 concentration is also increased and Ph
is seen decreased. Also the change in aragonite can also be observed in
the graph.These surveys, as well as the time-series data from Ocean
Stations Aloha and Papa, have confirmed that the oceans are absorbing
increasing amounts of carbon dioxide by the indication
of decrease in pH.
Impact Assessment:
The various Serious impacts of Ocean Acidification are as follows
Decline in Coral Reefs:
• Oceanacidificationweakens coral structures by reducing carbona
te ions /calcium carbonate in the ocean. Coral reefs are crucial
for food and habitat for marine life.They help in preventing storms
and erosions, acts as a carbon sink, It attracts
tourism helping local Economy.
Decline in survival of fish and effect on fish behavior:
• Acidification affects fish behavior, potentially altering navigation
and predator avoidance and important fish species may be
directly affected

Economic Threats:
Decline in Fishery Resources and Coral Reefs lead the economic
consequences.Where both the fishery and coral reefs plays role
in Economy multiple times, A study in the United States of
America found that the country’s shellfish industry could lose
more than US $400 million annually due to ocean acidification by
2100, also affects carbon cycle.
Disrupted Food Web:
• Shell-forming organism struggles disrupt marine food
chains, impacting species throughout
ecosystems
Climate Change:
• Ocean acidification, caused by absorbing extra carbon dioxide, is
a consequence of climate change. Though oceans help by
absorbing carbon, this process leads to increased acidity.This
connection highlights the oceans' importance in
managing climate, emphasizing the need to address acidification
alongside reducing carbon emissions for climate and marine
health.It is also known as Global Warming's EVIL TWIN.

SOLUTIONS:
This Ocean acidification must be reduced by some effective
solutions such as:

1) CULTIVATING SEAWEED FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION:

Seaweed Cultivation for carbon sequestration involves growing
and harvesting seaweed to capture carbon dioxide
from atmosphere. As seaweed grows it absorbs carbon dioxide
from the surrounding water effectively removing it from
atmosphere estimates suggest that cultivating seaweed could
sequester between 100m to 1b tons of carbon per year that is
equivalent to 5% to 10% of world's annual co2 emissions.
2)USE OF PHYTOPLANKTON CULTIVATION FOR CARBON
SEQUESTRATION:
 Phytoplankton are the microalgae at bottom of the Marine
Food chain. These microscopic organisms may be tiny, but
they use carbon dioxide to drive rapid growth taking it out of
the atmosphere and water.

3)ENHANCEMENT OF OCEAN ALKALINITY:

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is a strategy to remove

CO 2 directly from the atmosphere by adding processed
minerals [e.g., lime (Ca (OH) 2) or olivine (Mg 2SiO 4)] to
marine areas.

4)SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF BLUE CARBON

ECOSYSTEMS:

Blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves ,salt marshes,

and seagrasses, play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of
climate change by absorbing significant amounts of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their vegetation
and soil.

5)DIRECT OCEAN CAPTURE:

Direct Ocean Capture(DOC)is a type of carbon capture and

storage technology that aims to remove carbon dioxide directly
from the ocean and store it permanently underground.DOC
technologies include chemical absorption, membranes,
electrochemistry

Now among these solutions, the Best solution to control ocean

acidification is

CULTIVATING SEAWEED FOR CARBON

SEQUESTRATION:
Seaweed is a type of marine algae that has the remarkable
ability to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the
 atmosphere and water. As seaweed grows, it stores carbon
within its biomass, which can be harvested and processed for
various purposes, including biofuel production and fertilizer.

The Benefits obtained from this Seaweed Cultivation for Carbon

Sequestration are very helpful, they are

1)High Carbon Sequestration Capacity, where the Seaweed

can absorb up to 40 times more carbon dioxide than terrestrial
plants, making it an efficient and scalable solution for carbon
sequestration. And

2)Rapid Growth Rate, because the Seaweed grows incredibly fast,

with some species reaching maturity in as little as six weeks. This
rapid growth allows for quicker carbon sequestration compared to
other methods. And also

3)Versatility in Cultivation, where Seaweed can be cultivated in various

environments, including offshore, in coastal areas, and
in freshwater ponds. This adaptability makes it suitable for widespread
implementation.

And the other Additional Environmental Benefits are, Seaweed

cultivation not only sequesters carbon but also improves water quality
by removing excess nutrients and provides habitat for marine life. And
Economic Opportunities where Seaweed cultivation can generate
employment opportunities in coastal communities and contribute to
the development of sustainable industries.

This process also comes with few Challenges and Disadvantages

such as,

Cost : Currently, seaweed cultivation is Expensive. Research and

Development are needed to reduce costs and make it more
Economically viable.
Use of Chemicals: Some seaweed farming practices involve the use of
chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides, which can harm the
marine Environment.
Environmental Impacts: Seaweed farms can have some negative
environmental impacts, such as nutrient pollution and the spread of
invasive species.
Weather Dependency: Seaweed cultivation is vulnerable to extreme
weather events, such as storms or hurricanes, which can damage or
destroy the farms.
Seasonal Variability: Growth rates and yields can vary seasonally,
impacting the reliability of seaweed production.

Thank You
Link of recorded presentation: Video