BLOWING OFF CO2

CONTENT:
 Introduction
 Theory
o How CO2 supports life?
o Removal of CO2 from the Body
o Carbon Dioxide Removal from atmosphere

INTRODUCTION:
Blowing off CO2 involves removing carbon dioxide, a crucial process
both in human physiology and environmental management.
Understanding how CO2 is expelled from the body and the atmosphere
helps maintain health and ecological balance.
Blowing Off CO2 from the Body:
The Respiratory Processes
1. Inhalation
2. Gas Exchange
3. Exhalation

Physiological Importance
1. Acid-Base Balance
2. Homeostasis
3. Metabolic Waste Removal
Regulation Mechanisms
These regulate the amount of CO2 and its pH level inside of our body
 Chemoreceptor
 Breathing Rate and Depth
Blowing Off CO2 from the Atmosphere:
Environmental Theory
1. Global Warming: Excess atmospheric CO2 contributes to global
warming. Reducing CO2 levels can help mitigate climate change
effects.
2. Ocean Acidification: High CO2 levels increase ocean acidity,
harming marine life. Reducing atmospheric CO2 can help protect
ocean ecosystems.
Methods for Reducing Atmospheric CO2
1. Direct air capture
2. Farming smarter
3. Coastal preservation
4. Electrifying seas
5. Fertilizing oceans

THEORY:
 How CO2 supports life?
Carbon helps form the protein and DNA found in living things. In the
atmosphere, it combines with two oxygen molecules to form carbon
dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is a crucial ingredient in photosynthesis, the process by
which plants turn energy from the sun to turn water and carbon dioxide
into sugar. In return, plants emit oxygen.
As carbon dioxide concentrations increase in the atmosphere, scientists
are trying to hack photosynthesis to supercharge plant growth.
Laboratory studies show a higher concentration of the gas is making
some plants grow more quickly in certain conditions, but in the wild and
on outdoor farms the overall benefit is unclear.
In the Netherlands, some commercial greenhouses are experimenting
with ways to route carbon dioxide emitted from industry into
greenhouses where plants use the excess gas as fertilizer.

 A modern ingredient in the food industry

Carbon dioxide sold for commercial use is made as a byproduct of
fermenting fuel like ethanol or producing ammonia.
When frozen, it forms dry ice, which is used to keep food cold over
extended periods of time and quickly cool down hot machinery used
during food production. Unlike water, which moves from a solid to a
liquid to a gas as it warms, carbon dioxide moves directly from a solid to
a gaseous state, avoiding messy puddles.
Once food has been produced, carbon dioxide is essential for preserving
it in its packaging. High concentrations of the gas prevent bacteria from
spreading. In baked goods, it penetrates air bubbles, preventing mold
and fungus from forming.
When carbon dioxide comes into contact with any water present in
packaging, the chemical reaction of the two substances lowers the
environment’s pH, which also helps preserve baked goods.
And when that fresh, packaged food arrives at the grocery store, it's a
sustainable alternative to commercial refrigerants that help prolong shelf
life. Since the 1980s, a potent greenhouse gas
called hydrofluorocarbons has been used as a refrigerant, but new
refrigeration systems are able to effectively chill food with carbon
dioxide.

 Surprising uses
From aiding surgeons to physicists, carbon dioxide plays a surprising
role in modern science.
Pure carbon dioxide is sterile and nontoxic; it has a number of
applications for surgical procedures. When surgeons perform an
abdominal procedure called a laparoscopy, they inflate the abdomen
with the gas, allowing them to make a smaller cut and resulting in
quicker recovery.
Similarly, during colonoscopies, it's used to inflate the colon to more
easily conduct the procedure.
The oil industry captures some of the carbon dioxide it emits and uses it
to tap oil fields dry. When a well is almost exhausted, carbon dioxide is
pumped in to incresae pressure and force remaining oil up to the surface.
It also makes the oil less viscous and allows for easier removal.
In Meyrin, Switzerland, carbon dioxide is essential at the European
Council for Nuclear Research’s (CERN) Large Hadron Collider, a
particle accelerator that helps scientists study the particles that make up
everything in the universe. Here, carbon dioxide is employed in certain
types of instruments as a refrigerant gas, similar to what occurs in
commercial refrigeration facilities, and as tool to study subatomic
particles called muons.
  Respiratory Physiology
The human respiratory system is designed to facilitate the exchange of
gases, primarily oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), between the
body and the environment. This process is essential for maintaining
cellular metabolism and overall homeostasis.
1. Inhalation and Gas Exchange: During inhalation, air containing
approximately 21% oxygen is drawn into the lungs. The alveoli,
tiny air sacs within the lungs, are the primary sites for gas
exchange. Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the bloodstream,
where it binds to haemoglobin in red blood cells. Simultaneously,
CO2, a byproduct of cellular respiration, diffuses from the blood
into the alveoli.
2. Exhalation: Exhalation is the process of expelling air rich in CO2
from the lungs. This expulsion is driven by the relaxation of the
diaphragm and intercostal muscles, creating a positive pressure
that forces air out of the respiratory tract.
 Importance of CO2 Regulation
1. Acid-Base Balance: CO2 plays a critical role in maintaining the
acid-base balance of the blood. It reacts with water to form
carbonic acid, which dissociates into hydrogen ions and
bicarbonate. This reaction is reversible and helps buffer blood pH.
The respiratory system adjusts breathing rates to regulate CO2
levels, thereby influencing blood pH.
2. Homeostasis: Proper removal of CO2 prevents respiratory
acidosis, a condition where excessive CO2 leads to decreased
blood pH. Conversely, hyperventilation can cause respiratory
alkalosis by removing too much CO2, raising blood pH.
3. Metabolic Waste Removal: CO2 is a waste product of the Krebs
cycle (citric acid cycle) in cellular respiration. Efficient expulsion
of CO2 is essential to prevent toxic buildup and ensure metabolic
efficiency.
 Regulators in the Body:
 Chemoreceptors: Key Players in CO2 Regulation
Chemoreceptors are specialized sensory receptors that respond to
changes in chemical concentrations within the body, particularly
those of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ions
(H+). These receptors are crucial for maintaining homeostasis by
regulating respiratory activity in response to varying levels of these
chemicals in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
Importance of Chemoreceptors
 Homeostasis: Chemoreceptors are essential for maintaining acid-
base balance and ensuring adequate oxygen supply to tissues. They
help prevent respiratory acidosis and alkalosis, conditions that can
severely disrupt cellular function.
 Adaptive Responses: Chemoreceptors enable the body to adapt to
various physiological conditions, such as exercise, high altitudes,
and respiratory diseases. During exercise, for example, increased
CO2 production stimulates chemoreceptors, leading to enhanced
ventilation to meet the body's higher oxygen demands and CO2
clearance needs.

 Breathing Rate and Depth: Significance

Introduction
Breathing rate (respiratory rate) and depth (tidal volume) are
critical components of the respiratory process, ensuring that the
body meets its metabolic demands for oxygen and efficiently
removes carbon dioxide (CO2). The regulation of these parameters
is a complex process involving neural, chemical, and mechanical
feedback mechanisms.

Breathing Rate (Respiratory Rate)

The breathing rate refers to the number of breaths taken per
minute. In a healthy adult, the typical respiratory rate ranges from
12 to 20 breaths per minute. This rate can vary based on several
 factors including activity level, health status, and environmental
conditions.
Breathing Depth (Tidal Volume)
Tidal volume is the amount of air inhaled or exhaled during a
normal breath. For an average adult, the tidal volume is about 500
millilitres per breath. Breathing depth can change in response to
the body's oxygen demands and the need to expel CO2.
 Blowing Off CO2 from the Atmosphere
Environmental effects
Atmospheric CO2 levels have risen significantly due to human
activities such as fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and
industrial processes. This increase in CO2 is a major driver of
climate change and has numerous environmental impacts.
 Greenhouse Effect: CO2 is a greenhouse gas, meaning it traps
heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Increased CO2 levels enhance
the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate
change.
 Ocean Acidification: Ocean acidification is the process in
which seawater becomes more acidic because of the excess
carbon dioxide (CO2) it is absorbing from the atmosphere. This
phenomenon, which is impacting every ocean on Earth (as well
as coastal estuaries and other waterways), is a direct
consequence of the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting
carbon pollution.
Methods for Reducing Atmospheric CO2
Dozens of new technologies and processes are urgently being
developed in the quest to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees
Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), a threshold considered vital to
avoid climate change’s worst consequences. According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we’ll need to
drastically reduce fossil fuel emissions while also removing up to
 12 billion metric tons of carbon a year from the atmosphere by
mid-century.
These approaches are considered some of the most likely to
succeed:
1. Direct air capture
 Giant fans direct atmospheric air into liquid and solid solvents that
bond with and trap carbon dioxide. The CO2 is then managed or
sequestered underground. Direct air capture is one of the most
expensive carbon-removal technologies.
Potential capacity:
Limited by
demand/technology
Potential cost:
High
2. Farming smarter
 If properly managed, agricultural soils can also sequester carbon.
Instead of ploughing entire fields, targeted tilling keeps carbon
fixed in soils. Planting cover crops between growing seasons also
reduces the release of carbon from farmland.
Potential capacity:
Low to moderate
Potential cost:
Low

3. Coastal preservation
 Salt marshes, seagrass beds, and other coastal habitats are natural
carbon sinks. Preserving and restoring these ecosystems, which are
threatened by development and sea-level rise, can also prevent
erosion and protect coastal species.
Potential capacity:
Low
Potential cost:
Low to moderate
 4. Electrifying seas
 Carbon dioxide is directly removed from seawater by passing an
electric current through it. Currents can also split water molecules,
increasing their pH, which boosts their carbon-absorbing capacity.
Potential capacity:
High
Potential cost:
High

5. Fertilizing oceans
 Adding nutrients such as iron, phosphorus, and nitrogen to surface
waters amplifies phytoplankton’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide
through photosynthesis. Boosting this lower rung of the food chain
expands the carbon-storage capacity of marine life.
Potential capacity:
High
Potential cost:
Low

Observation:
 Observing CO2 in the Earth System:
1. Via Satellite:
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is the first NASA
satellite dedicated to monitoring CO2, and it will do so with
greater precision and detail than current instruments. This new data
will help scientists understand where CO2 is being emitted and
removed from the atmosphere, subsequently allowing them to
 make projections of how Earth’s climate might respond to these
changes in the future.

2. Via On Ground Systems

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are observed
using a non-dispersive infrared analyzer (NDIR) leveraging CO2's
infrared radiation absorption characteristic. The LI-7000 system
model (LI-COR Biosciences, inc.) is used for this purpose at the
JMA's observation stations. The stability of the observation system
(expressed as a 15-minute average standard deviation) does not
exceed 0.02 ppm, and its repeatability does not exceed ±0.02 ppm,
which is the difference between the results of two runs of the
above stability test.

Conclusion
Blowing off CO2, both from the body and the atmosphere, is crucial for
maintaining health and ecological balance. In human physiology, the
removal of CO2 through respiration ensures acid-base balance,
homeostasis, and the efficient removal of metabolic waste.
Chemoreceptors and the regulation of breathing rate and depth play vital
roles in this process. On a global scale, reducing atmospheric CO2 is
essential to mitigate climate change, ocean acidification, and other
environmental impacts. Various methods, including direct air capture,
smarter farming, coastal preservation, electrification of seas, and ocean
fertilization, are being developed and implemented to achieve this goal.
Advanced technologies and observational systems, both satellite-based
and on-ground, are instrumental in monitoring and managing CO2
levels. Together, these efforts highlight the importance of innovative
strategies and technologies in combating the challenges posed by excess
CO2.

Bibliography
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 https://www.nrdc.org/
 https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/
 https://www.climate.gov/
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 https://www.restec.or.jp/