reports that a
group of US scientists, led by a physicist at Columbia
University in New York, is working towards creating a device that will "suck" or extract
carbon-dioxide from the air. They say that a prototype of the machine should be
ready in two years time. Previous attempts at creating such machines (or scrubbers) were in vain due to their high energy requirements. However, Lackner and
his team claim that they will use changes in humidity to tackle this problem:
… The team says it can trap the CO2 from
air on absorbent plastic sheets called ion exchange membranes, commonly used to
purify water. Crucially, it has discovered that humid air can then make the
membranes "exhale" their trapped CO2.
They still need to work out how
exactly the carbon-dioxide captured by the device will be disposed off.
Tentative solutions include using the CO2 in greenhouses for plant growth or to
grow algae which could be used for food, fertilizer or fuel.
Lackner admits that their invention will
not serve as a panacea for the problem of global warming. However,
… the team says the technology may be the
best way to avert dangerous temperature rises, as fossil fuel use is predicted
to increase sharply in coming decades despite international efforts.
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