Project Grant 2419565

This $420,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) will support research to quantify the carbon sequestration and release dynamics of enhanced mineral weathering (EMW) in an agricultural river system in Illinois. The project, titled "CAS-CLIMATE: ENHANCED MINERAL WEATHERING IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS: QUANTIFYING CARBON LEAKAGE IN THE RIVER SYSTEM", aims to measure how much of the bicarbonate generated from the application of lime (CaCO3) to manage soil pH is converted back to CO2 and re-emitted to the atmosphere during transport through the river network. The research will leverage the fact that lime carbon is radiocarbon-dead to differentiate between modern carbon and EMW-derived carbon in the stream. Additionally, the project will assess how seasonal changes in temperature and stream flow affect the balance between carbon sequestration and re-emission. The successful completion of this 3-year project will provide critical insights to improve the carbon removal potential of EMW and develop a community quantification standard to align with the forefront of scientific discovery. No sub-awards are planned under this grant.