A new study shows ocean pH (“acidification”) levels naturally vary seasonally and decadally at rates and magnitudes far exceeding those attributed to anthropogenic activity.
In recent decades the oceans’ average pH level has fallen to 8.1 according to NOAA.
This pH value is said to be about one-tenth of a unit lower than it was before modern industrialization (8.2).
Because the oceans are less alkaline than they were at one point in time, the directionality of these pH changes is referred to as an ocean acidification process. Of course, humans are said to be responsible for this.
We are allegedly acidifying the oceans or facilitating the 8.2 to 8.1 decline over the course of the last few centuries because humans have caused atmospheric CO2 levels to rise from 280 ppm to 415 ppm since 1750. That’s the allegation, anyway.
But these assumptions seem to be challenged by the results shown in studies authored by the very scientists promoting the human-caused ocean acidification narrative.
For example, a new study shows pH levels were lower in the 1730s and 1930s-’40s than in 2000, and that the highest pH levels (i.e., less acidic) of the last 300 years occurred in the 1960s to 1980s.
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions were negligible to non-existent in the 1730s, and by the 1930s they were only hovering around 1 GtC/year.
In the late 20th century, human emissions rates reached about 5 or 6 GtC/year, and yet it was these decades that had the highest pH levels since the early 18th century.
Further, seawater pH in the South China sea varies seasonally, or from about 8.1 in winter to 7.6 in summer. So, within a span of months, the ocean pH varies far more than it allegedly has due to human activity over centuries.
A few other graphs from the Wei et al. (2021) paper show just how ordinary and unexceptional the modern atmospheric CO2 and ocean pH levels are relative to the past.
In the main graph from the below image, notice how minuscule a 400 ppm atmospheric CO2 level and 8.2 to 8.1 pH change (circles on the top left and right) look relative to the changes over the last 25 million years (Ma).
Then notice the wild variations in CO2 reaching 2500 to 3500 ppm between 40 to 60 Ma, and the pH values dipping to 7.4 or 7.5 during this same era.
The top right graph shows pH levels dipping to 7.2 and atmospheric CO2 fluctuating by ±1000 ppm from about 182 to 185 Ma.
Given today’s alarmism about ocean acidification driven by high atmospheric CO2 levels, these images beg the question:
How did marine animals manage to survive in such “acidified” waters (7.2 to 7.5) if it’s believed the modern biosphere is threatened by a pH value of 8.1?
Read more at No Tricks Zone
See also
https://tambonthongchai.com/2020/08/14/ocean-volcanism/
“It’s always going to be 8.2” – Agreed – I am not a chemist so maybe I’ve got my calculations wrong but nothing we can do will have much effect on oceanic pH.
Just to further emphasize the highly buffered nature of the sea, man places millions of tonnes of Sulphur Dioxide SO2 into the atmosphere where it combines with water H2O to produce Sulphuric Acid (Battery Acid) H2SO4 or “acid rain” – and we continue to do so. Almost all of this is ultimately washed into the oceans.
SO2 pollution production peaked at about 55MT in 1978 and is now down to about 30MT and falling as nations wisely keep on reducing this pollutant (that’s why “green” diesel is advertised as being low Sulphur 50ppm, 20ppm or even 2ppm – the refineries have to extract it and coal fired power stations have to use scrubbers to remove it etc. etc.).
My point is that Sulphuric acid is billions of times more potent than weak carbonic acid and it all ultimately falls into or drains into the sea.
pH is a measure of positive Hydrogen ions and is actually not a good indicator of the overall “strength” of an acid or alkali – “strength” is generally considered via its Ka rating (dissociation constant).
Ka equivalent rating: Sulphuric Acid H2SO4 is 1.0 x 10^3 which is 2.27 Billion times stronger than Carbonic Acid CO3^-2 is 4.4 x 10^-7 (which is quite pleasant to drink – soda water – common to all fizzy drinks – is as “bad” as it gets).
So H2SO4 acid rain represents a threat 2.2 billion times worse than man’s CO2 production and the seas soak it up without so much as a blip in its pH.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_dissociation_constant
Consider Nitric acid { HNO3 } produced by lightning strikes, ±5-10 million tonnes PA which has a Ka equivalent rating of 2.4 x 101 which is equivalent to 11-22 billion tonnes of CO2 or approximately 1-2 times man’s production of CO2 as far as ocean acidification is concerned.
Now I ask you how significant CO2 savings can possibly be when our average annual reduction in H2SO4 exceeds the effect of all the CO2 man has ever placed in the atmosphere (inasmuch as the effect it has on “ocean acidification”) since man discovered fire. Each and every year.
The concept that the seas, which are buffered by Quintillions of Tonnes of Calcium / Calcium Carbonate / aragonite, could ever become acidic is so far fetched as to be considered scientifically delusional.
Ocean Ph is 8.2 and it’s ALWAYS going to be … 8.2—PERIOD! We didn’t measure … of all things … ocean Ph in the 1700s. 8.1 is a lie told to make the “skeptics” scratch their heads and try to refute – I say don’t waste your time.
And back in the 1730’s they got around by Sail or by Horse or they just walked or stayed at home