Carbonate Chemistry Autonomous Sensor System (CarCASS)

Lead Research Organisation: NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE
Department Name: Science and Technology

Abstract

Humans release approximately 10 petagrams of carbon per year into the atmosphere, mainly through combustion of fossil fuels, about half of which is absorbed by the ocean. As CO2 enters the ocean it dissolves to form carbonic acid (H2CO3), a weak acid which readily dissociates to bicarbonate (HCO3-) and carbonate (CO32-) ions, and H+ lowering the pH of seawater. This process, defined as Ocean Acidification, has been documented in several oceanic reservoirs through time series observations and is expected to have adverse consequences on marine life and especially marine calcifiers (crustaceans, shellfish, some plankton species, corals etc.) which form hard structures from CaCO3. Ocean acidification is expected to cost the world economy 1 trillion USD annually by 2100 through negative impacts on ecosystem services. In the UK, four of the ten most valuable marine species are calcifying shellfish or crustaceans with an annual worth around £250m. Furthermore, aquaculture of shellfish is worth annually about £30m. High spatial and temporal resolution measurements of carbonate chemistry parameters are therefore needed to concurrently characterise variability in space and time to better understand biological tolerances and societal responses to ocean acidification. Although efforts have been made to increase the availability of high resolution carbonate chemistry observations in the ocean, the lack of automated high performance low cost carbonate sensors continues to hold back continuous and spatially extensive carbonate chemistry measurements using autonomous vehicles. Developing sensors capable of fulfilling future Marine Autonomous System (MAS) deployment goals, is therefore a matter of urgency for deciphering knowledge gaps and uncertainties in our understanding of the global ocean carbon cycle and optimisation of global models of ocean acidification and its impacts. At the Ocean Technology and Engineering Group (OTEG) of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) we develop sensors for in situ measurements of biogeochemical, physical and biological parameters in the ocean including Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Total Alkalinity (TA) and pH. Currently these sensors are still at a relatively early developmental stage (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-6). In this proposal we request funds to advance the TRL of these technologies and integrate them into a small autonomous device we call Carbonate Chemistry Autonomous Sensor System (CarCASS). The CarCASS will also incorporate an award winning fast measuring pH sensor, developed by our partners ANB Sensors, which as part of this work we will advance from TRL 6 to TRL 8. The CarCASS will be small enough for integration on most MAS including the Autosub Long Range (ALR), Kongsberg Seaglider, C-Enduro ASV, Wave Glider and Argo floats. As an integrated system, CarCASS will be the first device capable of autonomous complete characterisation of the seawater carbonate chemistry from surface to full ocean depth. Each sensor component will be fully autonomous and capable of being deployed independently. The DIC and TA sensors will be the first devices capable of autonomous measurements at full ocean depth while the pH sensors will provide for the first time fast (0.1 Hz) self-calibrated measurements autonomously anywhere in the ocean. This project will deliver tools which will enable continuous and spatially extensive carbonate chemistry measurements in the ocean deciphering knowledge gaps and uncertainties in our understanding of the global ocean carbon cycle.

Planned Impact

This project will have societal and economic impacts which, in the short to medium term, will include the production of a product, "CarCASS" which will be ready for licensing or other commercialization route within 1 year of the end of the project. Product launch is expected occur in 2021-22 with conservative expected sales exceeding 30 units by year 2 and a total 5 years sales total of 200 units (CAG of 30%). This will deliver jobs and income for the UK even if licensing is chosen over company launch, and the licensing company is non-UK, as it will stimulate services and measurement capability in the UK, and will return license income to the inventors and their institutions.

CarCASS will be deployable on a wide range of MAS platforms, and will therefore support the growth of MAS observation systems. This will stimulate economic activity (e.g. business for MAS platform, sensors, systems and services companies). In the medium to longer term, the data returned from widespread CarCASS enabled MAS will provide data directly to carbon flux and budget assessments and data bases, particularly in areas where there are significant data gaps. This data will also inform biogeochemical models and process studies. This understanding will improve our knowledge of the ocean carbon sink and biogeochemical processes with impact on the UK's and global management of climate change and marine resources. Therefore this data will assist evidence based decision by decision makers to manage the oceans and climate change.

This project will generate IP and a product highly desirable to the oil and gas industry which will use CarCASS as a tool for monitoring produce waters, pipelines and sub-seafloor CO2 storage sites.

Ocean acidification is expected to cost the world economy $1 trillion/yr by 2100 through negative impacts on ecosystem services (mainly fisheries). In the UK, four of the ten most valuable marine species are calcifying shellfish or crustaceans with an annual worth around £250m while aquaculture of shellfish is worth an additional £30m annually. CarCASS will provide a powerful tool for monitoring seawater acidity and acting as part of an early warning system for ocean acidification events known to have catastrophic effects on shellfish communities (as is the case in the NW USA).

Publications

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Monk S (2021) Detecting and mapping a CO2 plume with novel autonomous pH sensors on an underwater vehicle in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

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Schaap A (2021) Quantification of a subsea CO2 release with lab-on-chip sensors measuring benthic gradients in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

 
Description Prototype in situ (i.e. submersible) sensors for total alkalinity, pH and DIC have been developed, tested and integrated with eachother and installed in various autonomous (robot) vehicles including robot submarines and small boats. The total alkalinity sensor has been developed and tested on a mooring in the north sea. Total Alkalinity (TA) determines the capacity of water to absorb CO2 (a greenhouse gas) and the changes in pH when water does absorb CO2. Water pH is decreasing with climate change and increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Some organisms and biological cycles are affected by a reduction in pH and hence knowing TA is important to understand and predict these changes. The sensor demonstrated a precision better than 2 uM during this deployment and can be deployed to up to 6000m deep. This performance is good enough for TA measurement for science and industrial applications. It will support these applications (e.g. it is being deployed as part of the EU STEMM-CCS project developing monitoring tools for offshore Carbon Capture and Storage reservoir seal integrity) and is being evaluated as a commercial product.
Exploitation Route Proof of concept deployments of prototypes
Commercialisation
Sectors Aerospace

Defence and Marine

Agriculture

Food and Drink

Chemicals

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Electronics

Energy

Environment

Government

Democracy and Justice

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

 
Description We have produced a prototype Total Alkalinity sensor with commercial potential We have worked with ANB ltd to integrate and improve their pH sensor for ocean observation applications We have produced a new DIC sensor prototype We have further developed and integrated existing and very accurate pH sensors using indicator dyes The pH sensor is now available commercially: it is manufactured under licensed by ClearWater Sensors Ltd.
First Year Of Impact 2019
Sector Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Retail
Impact Types Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description (TechOceanS) - Technologies for Ocean Sensing
Amount € 8,975,662 (EUR)
Funding ID 101000858 
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 09/2020 
End 09/2024
 
Description GEORGE - Next generation multiplatform Ocean observing technologies for research infrastructures
Amount € 9,997,437 (EUR)
Funding ID 101094716 
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 01/2023 
End 06/2027
 
Company Name ClearWater Sensors 
Description ClearWater Sensors develops underwater chemical sensors. 
Year Established 2019 
Impact Clearwater sensors has setup manufacture at scale and delivered a complex high performance miniature chemical analyser / sensor technology to customers within 10 months of signing license agreements with the NOC and University of Southampton. It now offers for worldwide sale sensors capable of making scientific grade chemical measurements from frozen surface ocean to the deep sea for: Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Silicate, Iron and pH with further sensors in development (including in collaboration through the license agreement with the NOC). Currently employing 5 FTE staff, including key inventors also employed at the NOC the company has secured innovate UK funding (3 awards) together with angel investment and is experiencing strong demand that is enabling rapid growth. Customers include scientists, government agencies and aquaculture industries in the UK and abroad.
Website https://www.clearwatersensors.com/