Metallic minerals on the deep-ocean floor split water to generate 'dark oxygen'
Researchers, led by Northwestern University's Franz Geiger, found deep-sea metallic minerals can generate oxygen, challenging photosynthesis as the sole source. Polymetallic nodules act as "geobatteries," producing oxygen through electrolysis. Deep-sea mining risks disrupting this vital process.
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An international team of researchers, including Northwestern University chemist Franz Geiger, discovered that metallic minerals on the deep-ocean floor can produce oxygen 13,000 feet below the surface, challenging the belief that only photosynthetic organisms generate Earth's oxygen. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, revealed the presence of "dark oxygen" at the seafloor, supporting aerobic sea life in complete darkness. The researchers found that polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor, containing metals like cobalt and nickel, play a crucial role in this oxygen production. These nodules act as natural "geobatteries," generating electricity through seawater electrolysis to split water and produce oxygen. The findings suggest a new perspective on the origin of oxygen on Earth and raise concerns about deep-sea mining activities potentially depleting the oxygen source for deep-sea life. Researchers emphasize the need for careful consideration by the mining industry to avoid disrupting the delicate balance of oxygen production in the deep ocean.
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2 commentsI'll be curious about it, but I think that climate change may slow more from lower cost land surface batteries than these electrolysis water splitting batteries and associated ecosystems. Aka I won't hold my breath... ba dum tsss
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