US 6,440,367 B2 · Method of sequestering carbon dioxide with a fertilizer comprising chelated iron

Abstract

A method of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) in an ocean comprises testing an area of the surface of a deep open ocean in order to determine both the nutrients that are missing and the diffusion coefficient, applying to the area in a spiral pattern a first fertilizer that comprises a missing nutrient, and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide that has been sequestered. The fertilizer preferably comprises an iron chelate that prevents the iron from precipitating to any significant extent. The preferred chelates include lignin, and particularly lignin acid sulfonate. The method may further comprise applying additional fertilizers, and reporting the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered. The method preferably includes applying a fertilizer in pulses. Each fertilizer releases each nutrient over time in the photic zone and in a form that does not precipitate.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of sequestering carbon dioxide in a deep open ocean comprising the following steps:

(1) testing an area of the surface of a deep open ocean, in order to confirm that at least a first nutrient is missing to a significant extent from said area, and to identify said first missing nutrient;
and
(2) applying a first fertilizer which comprises an iron chelate, to fertilize said area with an appropriate amount of said iron chelate whereby carbon dioxide is sequestered;
and
(3) measuring the amount of sequestered carbon dioxide that results from said fertilization of said area.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of sequestering carbon dioxide with a fertilizer comprising chelated iron

Life of this patent

Method of sequestering carbon dioxide with a fertilizer comprising chelated iron

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19