Researchers are investigating an innovative carbon capture model in fish farms that could help to mitigate climate change. A recent study published in Nature Food highlights how low-oxygen aquatic environments, like fish farms, could be leveraged to capture CO2 efficiently and cost-effectively.
The study, led by Mojtaba Fakhraee and Noah Planavsky of Yale University, focusses on using iron sulphide reactions to increase water alkalinity, enhancing carbonate saturation and CO2 absorption. The process not only captures carbon but also reduces hydrogen sulphide concentrations in fish farms, which may boost productivity.
“Fish farms provide an ideal environment to both reduce carbon emissions and improve fish welfare,” Fakhraee explained.
The model could be particularly impactful in nations like China and Indonesia, which have extensive aquaculture industries. The researchers estimate that China alone could capture 100 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually using this method.
Unlike other carbon capture approaches, this method offers near-permanent storage of carbon, lasting thousands of years, Fakhraee said. While still in development, the technique could play a critical role in achieving global climate goals and reducing emissions in aquaculture.
“This is just one potential pathway,” Fakhraee noted, “but it could significantly improve both carbon capture efforts and the sustainability of the fish farming industry.”
