WO2009019529A1

WO2009019529A1 - Fertilization system for the marine phytoplankton to absorb atmospheric co2 comprising two different treatment phases

Info

Publication number: WO2009019529A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/003833
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rosario Rocco Tulino; Santino Letizia
Original assignee: Rosario Rocco Tulino; Santino Letizia
Priority date: 2007-08-09
Filing date: 2007-11-07
Publication date: 2009-02-12
Also published as: ITPI20070096A1

Abstract

Fertilization system for the marine phytoplankton directed towards a largest absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is in the atmosphere of the interface air - water. The increasing of the photosynthetic activity and of the biologic cycle dynamic is obtained from the activator ions of the catalytic processes that compose the product mix. The operation is carried out in a first phase of preliminary treatment dispersing a diluted solution of 3 components that show an introductory and chelating agent activity towards the 4 components of the second phase mix for the fertilizing treatment. The seven components of the complex, placed in a solution diluted with sea water, are injected with suitable devices, in the sea surface areas subtracting CO2 from the earth atmosphere.

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention bearing the title

FE_RTILIZATI_ON _SYSTEM FOR THE MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON TO ABSORB ATMOSPHERIC CO2 C_OMPRISING TWO DIFFERENT TREATMENT PHASES

During the last 150 years the CO₂ concentration in the earth atmosphere is grown of about one third, moving from 280 ppm to the actual 375 ppm, with an increasing of more than 2 ppm per year starting from 1985.

The CO₂ emissions, as a result of the use of fossil fuels, are responsible for about two thirds of the greenhouse effect with the consequent serious risks on the global climate change.

It is necessary to maintain and reduce the CO₂ atmospheric level, but from 1992

(when the first international treaty of Rio de Janeiro on the greenhouse gas emission has been signed) up to today the use of crude oil, coal, natural gas is risen of about 10% consolidating at more than 86% the energy of fossil origin.

Even if in the near future it will be possible to increase in an important way the quote of the energy produced by renewable sources or by nuclear power stations, the imbalances of climate will remain due to the long stay of CO₂ in the earth atmosphere.

Consequently it is necessary to remove portions of CO₂ from the atmosphere following two different lines:

1) active sequestration of the emissions from fixed sources (steam plants, cement factories, etc)

2) absorption of that part of emissions deriving from transports system, from heating and from the small but very large in number industrial factories that can't be picked up by fix installations, but they need to be caught by vegetation (trees, seaweeds, etc)

It is necessary to underline that, even achieving the various programs of reforestation, we will not reach the required decisive effects, but we will only obtain mild benefits. To balance the actual CO₂ emissions it would be necessary to have, every year, a reforestation surface larger than the India extension. Instead it is possible to remove, safely and without environmental imbalances, large quantities of CO₂ from the atmosphere through an increase, even of unpretentious entity, of the photosynthetic activity of the living organisms that form the marine phytoplankton. Being the earth surface covered for two third by sea, it is verified in this system the maximum exchange between air and water. In order to increase the growth of the unicellular living organisms (diatoms colonies) and to speed up the biological cycle, it is necessary to develop a fertilizing action to increase the photosynthetic activity.

Systematic researches in this direction have started in 1990 using different elements with stimulating characteristics. The iron contained, under different forms in the different mixtures, resulted the best candidate; then the checks on the absorption carried out with radioactive thorium tracers have given ample confirmation.

The articulated fertilization system for the marine phytoplankton of this invention is achieved with two different treatment phases, separated by a variable slot from 24 to 72 hours. The slot value depends from the season and from the geoclimatic characteristics of the sea area where the'fertilization treatment is made. During the first phase (preliminary), the product formed by a mix A + B + C (A = Na₂SiO₃ B = H₂SiO₃ C = Na₂B₄O₇), shown in Fig. 1, in diluted solution with marine water at around 2%, is dispersed by injection in the sea surface area, releasing in a suitable form ion complexes of silicon that perform the triple function to increase the phosphorus taking in the ATP (Adenosine 5'- triphosphate) synthesis, to render available a bigger quantity of silicon to build the cellular wall and furthermore to forbid the toxic activity of the free ions Fe and

Mri that are in the mix composition of the fertilization treatment of the following second phase.

The fertilization treatment phase is made with a diluted solution with marine water at around 2% - 3% of the mix D + E + F + G (D = FeSO₄ E = MnSO₄

F = Cu (NH₄)PO₄ G = ZnCO₃) shown in Fig. 2.

The treatment is carried out after a period of between 24 and 72 hours from the first one in the same sea surface area, bringing a greater Fe, Mn and Zn ion presence necessary to satisfy the greater necessities consequent to the photosynthetic activity increasing.

In the marine phytoplankton there are numerous exuding substances (polyphenols, amino acids and proteins) that exercise a beneficent chelating agent activity towards the microelements Fe, Mn and Zn that constitute the fertilizing mix; consequently there is a bigger absorption in the cellular cytoplasm with generation of ferredoxin that performs an increasing role of the photosynthetic process.

Following up the promoting and fertilizing actions made by the mix of the two phases, a greater speeding up of the biologic cycles (increasing of the organic action of carbon) takes place with an increase of the absorption of the atmospheric

CO₂ that it is in the air-water interface.

There is an increase of the production of the Actinocyclus diatoms and of the

Skeletonema on the sea surface area, which along with the exuding substances bring a higher presence of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

The increase in protein substances, in carbohydrates and fats on the marine surface area is an opportunity for the development of marine zooplankton that, from the primary action of synthesis of the nutritional chain carried out by the Copepods, brings a greater formation of Essential Fatty Acid EFA (Docosahexaenoic acid, commonly known as DHA, 22:6 and alcohols C20) that support the proliferation of sardines, anchovies and herrings up to the food chain that ends with salmons and tunas. Acting the fertilization with the more suitable parameters according to the different oceanographic areas (winds, marine streams, etc) and seasons, it is possible to optimize the rate of atmospheric CO₂ absorption on values even unpretentious that don't produce collateral effects of lack of balance for the ecosystems because the system operates on the huge exchange surface of air - water and not on quite high values of removal of CO₂ contained in the atmosphere, values carried out through absorption actions on concentrated systems with limited surfaces.

Claims

1) CLAIM 1 the system for the fertilization of the marine phytoplankton, in two different and separated phases spaced by an interval of 24 - 72 hours, with the aim to absorb the CO₂ that is in the atmosphere of the air - water interface.

2) CLAIM 2 the composition, in quality e quantity, of the mix of the preliminary treatment CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 which includes: a) Na₂Siθ₃ (Sodium Metasilicate) in range between 70% and 35% in weight but preferably around 60%. b) H₂SiO₃ (Silicic acid) in range between 35% and 15% in weight but preferably around 20%. c) Na₂B₄O₇ (Sodium tetraborate) in range between 15% and 8% in weight but preferable around 12%.

3) CLAIM 3 the grade of the mix solution dilution CLAIMED IN CLAIM 2 to be between 1% and 4% in weight of sea water but preferably around 2%.

4) CLAIM 4 the composition, in quality e quantity, of the fertilizing complex CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 which includes: d) FeSO₄ (Ferrous Sulphate) in range between 55% and 95% in weight but preferably around 85%. e) MnSO₄ (Manganese Sulphate) in range between 3% and 20% in weight but preferably around 8%. f) Cu (NH₄)PO₄ (Cupric Ammonium Phosphate) in range between 1% and 15% in weight but preferably around 4%. g) ZnCO₃ (Zinc Carbonate) in range between 0,5% and 4% in weight but preferably around 1%. 5) CLAIM 5 the grade of the mix solution dilution CLAIMED IN CLAIM 4 to be between 1% and 8% in weight of sea water but preferably around 3%.

6) CLAIM 6 the use of Ammonium Hydroxide (NH₄OH) in watery solution at 35% to make the neutralization and to catalyse the oxidation of the fertilizing complex CLAIMED IN CLAIM 4 with a final pH value of the diluted solution between pH 6.6 and pH 7.8 but preferably pH 7.2.

7) CLAIM 7 the value of the temperature of the fertilizing product solution CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 used for the treatment of atmospheric CO₂ absorption, between 12°C and 45°C but preferably around 30⁰C.

8) CLAIM 8 the optimal depth value of the dispenser nozzles dipped under the water surface used for the treatment CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 . This value is between 0,5 meter and 8 meter but preferably 2 meter.

9) CLAIM 9 the optimal value of injection speed during the treatment CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 . This value is between 10 and 60 meter per second but preferably 35 meter per second.

10) CLAIM 10 the injection angle of the dispenser nozzles dipped under the surface of the water as CLAIMED IN CLAIM 8 . This value is between 0° and 60° towards high but preferably 40° for a better ions stay in the exchange interface air - water.