CO2 leakage simulation; effects of the decreasing pH and the increasing dissolved metals to the fertilization and larval development of Paracentrotus lividus

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage has become a new mitigation option to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The effects of the CO2 related acidification, associated with unpredictable leaks of CO2 during the operational phases were studied using the Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin liquid phase assays (Fertilization and embryo-larval development tests). The urchin larvae exposed to elutriate of sediments with different metals concentration, which were subjected to various pH treatments resulted in median toxic effect pH ranged from 6.33±0.02 and 6.91±0.01 for the egg fertilization, and between 6.66±0.03 and 7.16±0.01 for the larval development assays. The dissolved metals concentration measured in the elutriates were associated with acidification. For all the sediment elutriates tested the amount of the dissolved Zn increased in parallel with the pH reductions. Although correlated effects of acidification, biological response and the presence of dissolved metals were observed from this work, further research is required to properly explain the mechanisms associated with the increasing sediment toxicity because of CO2 leakage.