About This Project

We aim to explore the feasibility of Neo-pedogenesis and bio-remediation as primary applications of CDR through bioweathering of alkaline rocks. The proposed approaches are low-risk, high benefit strategies aiming to create economic, ecological and environmental value through the use of EBW. We address the inherent dangers associated with EBW (Heavy metal leaching) by measuring it, evaluating the risk and proposing to transform it into a profitable venture: biomining

Ask the Scientists

Motivating Factor

In order to de-risk Biological weathering and assess its value as a NET in the scope of fighting climate change, experimental procedures are still needed to quantify the carbon capture in real life applications from neo-pedogenesis and bioremediation to bio-mining and soil carbon sequestration (1). In order to bridge the gap between laboratory data and field applicability, the safest applications (economically, socially, environmentally) must be tested to obtain data with enough significance and allow for quick deployment (2).

Using the data already existing on the subject, a relatively low tech approach with hybrid lab-field experiments can bring the final CDR quantification data to enable evidence-based decision making on specific applications, while providing many of the missing elements to evaluate TEA and LCA. Also, some dangers are still presently unaddressed that might further delay the applicability of these technologies.

Specific Bottleneck

Specific functional parameters are lacking for many rock-dwelling biotic communities regarding their weathering potential, technical and economic feasibility and their ecological relevance and safety.

From indigenous plant communities at different successional stages to selected or modified organisms, many competing technologies seek to optimize DAC, possibly coupled with other NETs or economically relevant activities. The difficulties are mostly in quantifying the weathering rates in order to correlate them to Carbon capture as well as the feasibility of these different approaches and relevance to CDR

The safety of BW regarding heavy metal leaching from minerals is also a significant risk that needs to be quantified and addressed in order to de-risk many of its applications.

Another limiting factor is the low availability of low to medium tech protocols for local evaluation of these parameters, making the monitoring of relevant data complicated and lab-dependent.

Actionable Goals

A simplified model to evaluate bioweathering has to be synthesized with easily measurable KPIs in order to comparably evaluate bioweathering vs passivation, the flux of cations and the integration of biophysicochemical parameters in the model.

Endemic and regional microbial and plant communities’ effects on limestone and sandstone weathering needs to be quantified in different applications. These can be in turn compared with abiotic weathering and the effect of axenic and modified organisms in different reactor types, as well as made to work synergistically with them in order to reach optimal utility and acceptability.

The economic utility for these applications is also a great factor for their viability, where coupling CDR with economic production, pollution remediation and natural habitat expansion makes CDR more realistically applicable