Thursday, August 20, 2009

Ocean Acidification

When CO2 reacts with water, the result is carbonic acid:

CO2 + H2O H2CO3

Since the Industrial Revolution, the oceans have absorbed nearly 25% of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fuels.

As a result, the ocean acidity has increased 30% since then. If this trend continues, the ocean acidity will double by the end of the century, compared to pre-industrial times.

This will probably cause the extinction of numerous species, and will seriously harm the balance of the food chain all over the world.

Click here to watch a video that explains how it happens.


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