New Exhibit: Carbon Dioxide Removal

Carbon dioxide removal uses technology to mimic natural processes to remove carbon dioxide from the air, just like plants do. One of the main drivers behind climate change is the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Burning fossil fuels, such as natural gas, oil, and coal, are the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide globally. To keep climate change from causing irreversible harm, we need to not only stop producing carbon dioxide but also find a way to remove it from the atmosphere. 

A new display in Tisch Library by Tufts’ Environmental Sustainability Laboratory demonstrates a method of directly capturing carbon dioxide from the air. The display includes a column containing lithium hydroxide which bonds to carbon dioxide in the air to form lithium carbonate, which can be stored easily as a solid. Lithium carbonate produced from this system can be used in concrete or ceramic glazes, which is a way to recycle carbon dioxide and keep it out of the atmosphere for future generations.

 

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Carbon Dioxide Removal Exhibit