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Carbon Sequestration via Concrete Weathering in Soil

Multer, Brittany
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1681120564894507

Abstract Details

2023, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Since the beginning of time Earth’s carbon cycle has self-regulated, experiencing periods of warming and cooling with changing amounts of carbon in the atmosphere. Today, human activity is rapidly changing the climate through the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere like carbon dioxide (CO2). To prevent disastrous outcomes caused by climate change, it is vital to halt greenhouse gas emissions, however, this is only one part of the solution. To keep global temperatures from increasing more than 2° C, CO2 removal must also be an integral part of the solution. The objectives of this research were to conduct a laboratory experiment and investigate the carbonation of concrete within soil as a viable option to sequester atmospheric carbon, analyze how concrete carbonation changes with fragment size, and understand the environmental impacts of adding concrete to soil. Soil samples from Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Center were collected and placed into 30 cm columns with different mixtures of crushed recycled concrete to test concrete in soil as an enhanced weathering material. Four different treatments were tested and were comprised of 1) 100% soil (S samples), 2) 90% soil and 10% concrete by weight of 0.25-0.71 mm diameter fragments (F samples), 3) 90% soil and 10% concrete by weight of 8 mm diameter fragments (L samples), and 4) 100% concrete composed of 8 mm diameter fragments (C samples). Four replications of each treatment were tested for a total of 16 samples. Approximately 40 cm3 of deionized water was added to each sample every day from a drip irrigation system for a total amount of 940-990 mm yr-1 throughout the experiment to simulate the amount of precipitation received by Columbus, OH in one year, with leachate continuously collected underneath the columns. After 16 weeks, the soil and concrete mixtures were removed from the columns and tests were conducted on the soil and leachate samples. The results from this study show that concrete in soil has potential as an enhanced weathering material to sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Significant differences between the C samples and the L and F samples showed that soil facilitates faster concrete weathering rates, and significant differences between the L and F samples showed that the smaller concrete fragments weather faster than larger concrete fragments. This study found that putting 120-150 g of concrete in soil sequestered 0.15-1.8 g of CO2. Modeling the data, it is predicted that for every 1 m2 surface area of concrete added to soil, 2.1 g of atmospheric carbon is sequestered annually. Adding concrete to soil was found to impact soil and water quality. The pH of the L and F leachate samples was not significantly different from S leachate samples, but the soil pH of the F samples was significantly different from the L and S samples. This could make concrete a useful lime substitute or a solution to ocean acidification. Sodium was quickly weathered from concrete both in the presence and absence of soil. Because of the dual release of calcium, soil SAR was not significantly different in the L and F samples compared to the S samples, and concrete could be used as a tool to amend sodic soils. Aggregate stability was not found to be impacted by the addition of concrete. The microbial community was affected by the presence of concrete, with the fungi, protozoa, and bacteria communities all significantly smaller in the F samples. However, these communities were not impacted in the L samples, proving that concrete can be added to soil without harming microbes. Increased nitrate levels were found in the L and F samples. This increase in leachate nitrate could cause harm to nature and humans by aiding the growth of harmful algal blooms and impacting ground water used as drinking water.
Rattan Lal (Advisor)
Berry Lyons (Committee Member)
M. Scott Demyan (Committee Member)
Matt O'Reilly (Committee Member)
Civil Engineering; Climate Change; Environmental Science; Soil Sciences
carbon sequestration; concrete carbonation; soil health; pedogenic carbonates

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Multer, B. (2023). Carbon Sequestration via Concrete Weathering in Soil [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1681120564894507

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Multer, Brittany. Carbon Sequestration via Concrete Weathering in Soil. 2023. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1681120564894507.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Multer, Brittany. "Carbon Sequestration via Concrete Weathering in Soil." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1681120564894507

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1681120564894507
374
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.