Scientists Develop Clay-Based Method to Trap Carbon in Deep Ocean

The technique uses clay dust to bind carbon into particles consumed by zooplankton, which expel it as sinking feces for long-term storage.

Researchers at Dartmouth have proposed a method to enhance the ocean's natural carbon storage process using clay dust sprayed on phytoplankton blooms.
The clay binds with organic carbon released by dying phytoplankton, forming sticky particles called flocs that zooplankton consume and excrete at lower depths.
This process accelerates the biological pump, a natural carbon removal cycle, by ensuring more carbon sinks to the deep ocean instead of re-entering the atmosphere.
Lab experiments showed the method captured up to 50% of carbon that would otherwise oxidize, while also reducing bacteria that release carbon back into the air.
Future field tests are planned off the Southern California coast to refine the approach and determine its efficiency in real-world oceanographic settings.