When we first thought about sequestering organic carbon in the Black Sea, it was after seeing the pictures of ancient wooden shipwrecks, completely preserved by the deep, euxinic (anoxic & sulfidic) water of the Black Sea. We knew that our first mission as a company was to place “fresh” organic carbon in euxinic water, and to measure what happens to it over time. Our original assumption was that any type of plant (organic carbon) would just completely preserve when there’s no oxygen in the environment.
After 3 in-situ experiments, in 3 different anoxic environments, we realized our assumption was not entirely accurate. Those of you who are marine biologists or chemists probably already know this. Life on earth is amazing, and even in really harsh environments, some microorganisms find a way to consume energy by breaking down organic carbon. Under the conditions of the deep Black Sea, this organic carbon breakdown happens extremely slowly and only to a certain extent.
Our very first Scientific Report summarizes the findings of our in-situ decomposition rate experiments involving various organic materials. The primary objective was to assess the quality of preservation of different organic materials, given their inherent characteristics and the influence of the water chemistry in each experimental site.
This report sheds light on the intricate dynamics of organic matter preservation within euxinic water bodies, offering valuable insights for the advancement of biomass carbon removal and storage in anoxic marine environments. Our findings consistently demonstrated that wood had the best preservation rate across all three sites.
Fill in your details to get the report to your email: