An innovation arrives in the field of atmospheric chemistry, with a discovery that could mark a turning point in the fight against global warming. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a system called Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS), which can dramatically accelerate the decomposition of methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas, reducing its impact on the environment.
The technology, which combines chlorine and ultraviolet light, represents real hope in reducing the effects of climate change. I'll tell you more about it later, however: in the meantime, let's shine a light on the "villain" of this story, methane.
Methane: an environmental challenge
Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, contributing significantly to global warming. It comes from both natural sources such as wetlands and human activities such as food production, wastewater treatment and natural gas production.
Once released into the atmosphere, it takes up to 12 years to naturally decompose into carbon dioxide. However, over the course of 25 years, the climate impact of methane is 85 times worse than that of CO2.
MEPS: a technological revolution
MEPS represents an innovative solution with extraordinary potential. As mentioned, through the use of chlorine and UV light the system triggers a chain reaction that decomposes methane much more quickly than natural processes. “It usually decomposes at a slow rate because it doesn't react easily with other elements in the atmosphere,” he explains Matthew Stanley Johnson, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the university.
With the help of light and chlorine, however, we can trigger a reaction and break down methane about 100 million times faster.
How MEPS works
In MEPS, methane is collected in a reaction chamber, where chlorine molecules are introduced. Next, UV light is used to split the chlorine into highly reactive atoms.
These chlorine atoms strip hydrogen atoms from methane to form hydrochloric acid (HCl), which can be captured and recycled. Methane then decomposes into carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), exactly as it happens in nature, but at a much higher speed.
How much?
Research has shown that this approach can degrade 58% of the methane in the air, with further improvements resulting in 88% cleanliness of methane in the chamber. The team's next goal is to scale the technology to fit a 13-meter shipping container, which could be connected to a ventilation system on a farm, where a lot of methane is produced.
Today's farms are high-tech facilities where ammonia is already removed from the air. So, removing methane through existing air purification systems is an obvious solution.
Matthew Stanley Johnson
“Anti-methane” technology: future prospects and environmental impact
The results of the research, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters (I link them to you here), have already led to the creation of a new company, Ambient Carbon, which aims to make this technology available on a large scale. The promise of MEPS is that of a significant change in how we can address environmental challenges.
The fight against global warming requires innovative and bold solutions, and MEPS appears to be exactly what our planet needs.
