Carbon Capture by Algal Inoculation of Ocean Ice and/or Sea Ice

Abstract

The invention features a low cost nature-based carbon sequestering vaccine presenting capacity to restore global Carbon Dioxide to pre-industrial levels over a short, perhaps singly decade use across multiple deployments. This low tech, low cost, high impact, 100% nature based solution is carbon negative during its production and throughout deployment using multiple embodiments that capture and sequestrate carbon dioxide from at least a kiloton approaching a gigaton or beyond scale. The invention uses already developed technologies and biological methods in producing a vaccine for inoculating selected unpopulated or sparsely populated geozones with low potentials for disrupting human activities. Embodiments feature deployment of the vaccine into extreme cold environments with minor or non-existent negative externalities. Extremophilic algal cohorts are selectively adapted by growth in serial culture for spreading at sites where the algae growth and turn carbon dioxide from ambient air into biomass that sequesters the carbon for centuries.

Claims

1. A method for mitigating effects of CO.sub.2 in the atmosphere, said method comprising: spreading a preparation of psychrophile algae on an environmental ice surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said ice surface comprises ocean/sea ice.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said ice surface comprises an iceberg.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said ice surface is selected from the group consisting of: a frozen pool or lake, a frozen rink, a frozen canal, a frozen river, and glacier ice.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein spreading said psychrophile algae comprises preparing said psychrophile algae through serial culture that has adapted said psychrophile algae for increased growth compared to said psychrophile algae used to feed said serial culture.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said preparation of psychrophile algae comprises a plurality of psychrophile algae species.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said spreading comprises delivering approximately 2?10.sup.4 organisms of said psychrophile algae per square meter of said environmental ice surface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said spreading comprises spreading liquid droplets over said environmental ice surface.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said spreading comprises spreading dry particles over said environmental ice surface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said spreading comprises spreading is from a spreading vehicle in contact with said environmental ice surface.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said spreading comprises spreading from a spreading vehicle traversing above said environmental ice surface.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein prior to spreading, said preparation of psychrophile algae is diluted with an aqueous liquid to lessen the concentration of said psychrophile algae.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said dilution is between 5 and 20 fold.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said dilution is between 8 and 12 fold.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said preparation comprises about 20,000 to 250,000 cells/ml prior to dilution.

17. A dispenser that dispenses material for mitigating effects of CO.sub.2 in the atmosphere, said dispenser comprising: a carrier. a spray device attached for transport by said transporter, said spray device capable of spraying a cargo of psychrophile algae. a container containing a preparation of cultured psychrophile algae; and a nozzle configured for controlled release of said cultured psychrophile algae from said container.

18. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein said carrier is capable of being airborne.

19. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein said carrier is ground based and mobile.

20. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein said mobility is effected by a living organism or a machine.

Description

EXAMPLE

[0062] Specific species of psychrophile algae were initially chosen for the initial vaccine trial product. Samples of wild type Antarctic snow algae: Chlamydomonas nivalis (CN) and Chloromonas pichinchae (CP) were purchased from UTEX in Texas, US. Proof of durability was seen when the purchased products were impounded by authorities for over ten days. Viability of the cultures was maintained even after the low pressures and temperatures in the plane cargo hold and normal storage conditions during the impoundment period.

[0063] The algae were serially cultured to selectively enhance growth and proliferation and capacity to capture and store carbon over the seed culture characteristics.

Examples

[0064] Specific species of psychrophile algae were initially chosen for the initial vaccine trial product. Samples of wild type Antarctic snow algae: Chlamydomonas nivalis (CN) and Chloromonas pichinchae (CP) were purchased from UTEX in Texas, US. Proof of durability was seen when the purchased products were impounded by authorities for over ten days. Viability of the cultures was maintained even after the low pressures and temperatures in the plane cargo hold and normal storage conditions during the impoundment period.

[0065] The algae were serially cultured in 3N-BBM+V medium from a 1000 ml CCAP prepared from stock solutions:

TABLE-US-00001 NaNO.sub.3 25.0 g CaCl.sub.22H.sub.2O 2.5 g MgSO.sub.47H.sub.2O 7.5 g K.sub.2HPO.sub.43H.sub.2O 7.5 g KH.sub.2PO.sub.4 17.5 g NaCl 2.5 g

[0066] with trace elements prepared in a stock of 0.75 g EDTA in 1000 ml distilled water added in the exact following sequence:

TABLE-US-00002 FeCl.sub.36H.sub.2O 97.0 mg MnCl.sub.24H.sub.2O 41.0 mg ZnCl.sub.2 5.0 mg CoCl.sub.26H.sub.2O 2.0 mg Na.sub.2MoO.sub.42H.sub.2O 4.0 mg and two vitamin supplements: Thiaminhydrochloride (B1) 120 mg in 100 ml distilled water-sterile filtered Cyanocobalamin (B.sub.12) 100 mg in 100 ml distilled water then diluted: 1 ml into 99 ml distilled water-sterile filtered

[0067] From these stocks, the 3N-BBM+V medium is made by combining culture feed and growth accelerants as in the example below:

TABLE-US-00003 NaNO.sub.3 30.0 ml CaCl.sub.22H.sub.2O 10.0 ml MgSO.sub.47H.sub.2O 10.0 ml K.sub.2HPO.sub.43H.sub.2O 10.0 ml KH.sub.2PO4 10.0 ml NaCl 10.0 ml trace elements 6.0 ml B.sub.1 1.0 ml B.sub.12 1.0 ml

[0068] CN and CP samples were then cultured on agar slopes and phial solutions to obtain desired quantities and concentrations 60,000 to 10.sup.6 cells/ml for viability testing.

[0069] A copending application is simultaneously filed with this application. The vaccine production application filed the same day by the same Applicant/Inventor is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

[0070] Cells extracted from agar after a few weeks show distinct outer coat enclosing numerous daughter cells

[0071] While the inventor used the term we in describing this invention, it is to be understood that the inventor conceived the claimed inventions. The inventor directed associates in practicing the processes described herein. Associates also confirmed as second eyes reported observations.