Seeing a deep ocean CO2 enrichment experiment in a new light: laser raman detection of dissolved CO2 in seawater.
We used a newly developed in situ laser Raman spectrometer (LRS) for detection of elevated levels of dissolved CO2 in seawater. The experiment was carried out at 500 m depth, 6 degrees C, to examine new protocols for detection of CO2-enriched seawater emanating from a liquid CO2 source in the ocean, and to determine current detection limits under field conditions. A system of two interconnected 5 L chambers was built, with flow between them controlled by a valve and pump system, and this unit was mounted on an ROV. The first chamber was fitted with a pH electrode and the optical probe of the LRS. In the second chamber approximately 580 mL of liquid CO2 was introduced. Dissolution of CO2 across the CO2-seawater interface then occurred, the valves were opened, and a fixed volume of low-pH/CO2-enriched seawater was transferred to the first chamber for combined pH/Raman sensing, where we estimate a mean dissolution rate of approximately 0.5 (micromol/cm2)/s. This sequence was repeated, resulting in measurement of a progressively CO2 enriched seawater sample. The rapid in-growth of CO2 was readily detected as the Fermi dyad of the dissolved state with a detection limit of approximately 10 mM with spectral acquisition times of 150 s. The detection of background levels of CO2 species in seawater (approximately 2.2 mM, dominantly HCO3-) will require an improvement in instrument sensitivity by a factor of 5-10, which could be obtained by the use of a liquid core waveguide.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA.
Rachel M
RM
Dunk
Edward T
ET
Peltzer
Peter M
PM
Walz
Peter G
PG
Brewer
D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D004566:Electrodes; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007834:Lasers; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature
D002245:Carbon Dioxide