Ocean acidification is nothing but a process in which the pH of the Earth’s oceans is constantly decreasing. This is generally caused by absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide which is present in the atmosphere by the oceans. When carbon dioxide dissolves in sea water it ultimately increases the hydrogen ion concentration in the ocean and this process results in a decrease in pH (hydrogen ion concentration) of the seawater. As oceans are absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide in a huge amount the oceans are becoming more acidic.
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide, which is produced by anthropogenic sources. As the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing, the oceans are becoming more acidic. Due to industrial revolution the pH of the oceans slightly drops which is less than 0.1 %, and further projections reveal that it will decrease by 0.3 to 0.5 % till the year 2100. It will certainly change the Chemistry of the Earth’s oceans in upcoming years and also big changes are expected in the future.
As the temperature and acidity of the Earth’s oceans are increasing day by day the ability of oceans to sink the carbon is getting weaker, and it ultimately giving rise to global concerns.It is also believed that decrease in pH will also cause ill-effects in Atlantic Ocean. The primary impact will be on oceanic calcifying organisms in Atlantic Ocean. Change in the environment and acidification in Atlantic Ocean will create impact on human activities as well as on marine animals. Acidification in Atlantic Ocean causes harm to shell-forming plants and the animals including surface and deep seawater, many plankton, pteropods, mollusks and lobsters. It is also estimated that climate change will affect on the ocean productivity. Recent research reveal that algae, shellfish, pteropods are experiencing reduced calcification when they are exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide.
Apart from this, organisms may suffer from other adverse problems such as effect on their reproductive and psychological ability. In order to maintain cell pH, acidification will force some organisms to reallocate their resources away from feeding and reproduction. It is also estimated that acidification will alter the properties of seawater. It is also expected that ocean acidification in the future will decrease the burial of carbonate sediments for sacral countries and also the dissolution of existing carbonate sediments which will lead to ocean alkalinity.
