科学家成功将二氧化碳变成“石头”

 　　The researchers report an experiment in Iceland where they have pumped CO2 and water underground into volcanic¹ rock.

　　研究人员发表了一项在冰岛的实验：把二氧化碳和水注入地下变成火山石。

　　Reactions with the minerals in the deep basalts convert the carbon dioxide to a stable, immobile chalky solid.

　　与深层玄武岩的矿物反应后，二氧化碳转化成稳定不动的白垩质固体。

　　Even more encouraging, the team writes in Science magazine, is the speed at which this process occurs: on the order of months.

　　该团队在《科学》杂志上写道，更振奋人心的是该过程发生的速度：以月的量级。

　　"Of our 220 tonnes of injected CO2, 95% was converted to limestone² in less than two years," said lead author Juerg Matter from Southampton University, UK.

　　“我们注入的220吨二氧化碳，有95%在不到两年内转化成石灰石，”来自英国南安普敦大学的首席作者Juerg Matter说。

　　"It was a huge surprise to all the scientists involved in the project, and we thought, ’Wow! This is really fast’," he recalled on the BBC’s Science In Action programme.

　　“对于在这个项目中的科学家来说这是一个巨大的惊喜，我们想，‘哇！这真是快呀，’”他在BBC自然行动节目上回忆道。

　　With carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere marching ever upwards³ and warming the planet, researchers are keen to investigate so called "carbon capture and storage" (CCS) solutions.

　　大气中的二氧化碳浓度不断上升使全球变暖，研究人员都热衷于探讨所谓“碳捕获和储存”（CCS）的解决方案。

　　Working with the Hellisheidi geothermal power plant outside Reykjavik, it combined the waste CO2 with water to make a slightly acidic liquid that was then sent hundreds of metres down into the volcanic basalts that make up so much of the North Atlantic island.

　　雷克雅未克郊外的Hellisheidi地热电站，结合了二氧化碳废气与水形成弱酸性的液体，然后被送到几百米下的火山玄武岩里，北大西洋岛屿的地质由许多这样的岩石构成。

　　"In the future, we could think of using this for power plants in places where there’s a lot of basalt - and there are many such places."

　　“将来，我们会考虑在其他有大量玄武岩的地方通过热电站使用这种方法——有许多这样的地方。”

　　Dr Matter added: "You can find basalts on every continent and, certainly, you can find them offshore⁴ because all the oceanic crust - so below the seafloor - is all basaltic rocks.

　　Matter博士说：“每个大陆都有玄武岩，而且毫无疑问，近海也有很多这样的岩石，因为在海床下面的所有海洋外壳全是玄武岩。

　　In terms of the availability of basaltic rocks to take care of CO2 emissions⁵ globally - no problem."

　　要处理全球二氧化碳排放，在玄武岩的可供性方面，没有问题。”

　　There is, however, the issue of cost.

　　然而，费用是个问题。

　　Capture of the CO2 at power stations and other industrial complexes is expensive, and without incentives⁶ it is currently deemed to be uneconomic.

　　捕获二氧化碳到热电站或其他工业设备是昂贵的，没有这样做的动机的话，目前这是不经济的。”

　　The infrastructure⁷ needed to pump the gas to the burial site also has to be considered.

　　充气到埋藏点的所需设施也要被考虑到。

　　And in the case of the Carbfix approach, a substantial amount of water is required.

　　而且碳固定的办法，需要相当的水量。

　　Only something like 5% of the mass sent underground is CO2.

　　输送到地下的质量只有大概5%是二氧化碳。

　　Christopher Rochelle is an expert on CCS at the British Geological Survey and was not involved in the Iceland experiment.

　　英国地质调查的碳捕获和储存方面的专家Christopher Rochelle没有参与冰岛这项实验。

　　He said Carbfix underlined the importance of moving beyond modelling and lab studies to real-world demonstrations⁸.

　　他说碳固定强调把模型和实验室研究转移到真实世界的重要性。

　　Only by doing this can the technology readiness be properly assessed.

　　只有这样，这项技术是否准备就绪才能得到适当的评估。

　　"We need to do more field-scale tests, like this one in Iceland, to better understand the types of processes that are ongoing⁹ and how fast they work," he told BBC News.

　　“我们需要做更多的实地测试，就像冰岛的这一项，以更好的认识这个过程中的类型，以及其速度，”他告诉BBC。

1 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

3 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

4 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

9 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。