Is ocean ';acidification'; really caused by CO2?

The ocean contains 50 times as much CO2 as the air. The CO2 has increase about 1/3 for rounding purposes in the air. One third of the increased CO2 could be attributed to humans. Of that, 1/3 has went into the sea. 1/3 or 1/3 is 1/9 so approximately an amount equivalent to 1/9 of the atmospheric CO2 went into the ocean. The ocean contains 50 times as much CO2. That means the the increase in the ocean is roughly 1/9 of approximately 1/50 or we have changed the concentration of the CO2 in the ocean by about 1/450 The roughness of the approximation and rounding down of the 1/3 increase makes it seem reasonable to round that up to to 0.25% or 4 parts per thousand. Can you get significant acidification from a weak acid in buffer conditions with that small an increase or is it just alarmism as usual trying to lie and frighten people by suggesting we are acidifying the ocean. Carbonate ion changes with temperature and biological activity changes pH to as does volcanoes and other factors. We can easily figure how much a change of that magnitude would have on the pH. It isn't significant, that much is certain.



Before you respond with something like, ';It is more than the environment can handle'; or some similar nonsense, tale a deep breath and consider how stupid equating a 4 parts per thousand increase in CO2 to doom is. There used to be over 17 times as much CO2 in the air. I am a chemist so please don't distort science and claim that the concentration of the H+ ion which is what acid measures increased 35%. The change was from 8.2 to 8.1. That is very roughly a 10% change since pH as most high school science students know is logarithmic. Acid is below 7 and I think I have demonstrated with simple undeniable logic, except perhaps to an alarmist, that it is ignorant to attribute the acid change to CO2.Is ocean ';acidification'; really caused by CO2?
OK, your additional details redeemed at least the first part of your post. I was about to lay it on you for that. The rest of your playing with fractions really is irrelevant. Why not just start pulling out the gelatinous math and say the oceans are only absorbing .0001% of the total atmosphere?



In a basic solution like the ocean carbonic acid deprotonates almost completely into HCO3- (alpha 1 = .975, or 97.5% deprotonation). So while it is technically a weak acid, in the basic ocean it is pretty strong.



And, Mr. Chemist, you need to review your algebra. 10^.1 = 1.26, or a 26% increase.



Finally, no one is saying that the oceans are going to become like acid that will burn the flesh off of fish. The main problem, rather, is that increasing the acidity causes carbonate concentration [CO3-2] to fall below the levels of saturation, reducing the rates of calcification of many primary producers. It is this inhibition of phytoplankton's ability to produce aragonite that is the main cause for concern, not the pH itself--though this may have some nasty effects as well.

http://www.ipsl.jussieu.fr/~jomce/acidif

http://www.ucar.edu/communications/FinalIs ocean ';acidification'; really caused by CO2?
Oh. Yeah we could have kept going, but alright. Thanks for BA

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Not at all. I think that toxic chemicals being released into the air (not carbon dioxide) and which then falls down it what's causing the acidic oceans (assuming they're truly more acid). It's the same thing that's causing acidic snow, rain, and water supplies that no one talks about!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKjnLeFPB



I don't get the CO2 claim--they say even carbonated water is very weak in acid (and the ocean are definitely not that extreme). And another thing is that when the oceans and absorb CO2 it actually results in carbonated mineral deposits like calcium carbonate--which is an antacid! So that means the opposite happens!



';The Earth's oceans dissolve a major amount of carbon dioxide. The resulting carbonate anions bind to cations present in sea water such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ to form deposits of limestone and dolomite. Most carbon dioxide in the atmosphere eventually undergoes this fate: if all the carbonate rocks in the earth's crust were to be converted back in to carbon dioxide, the resulting carbon dioxide would weigh 40 times as much as the rest of the atmosphere.';



http://knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia



Springs full of CO2 is actually healing and good for combatting acidity problems!



';Europeans also know that carbonated Vichy Water along with its high and balanced mineral content relieves those with extreme circulatory problems. Vichy waters have unique characteristics when consumed including the relief of stomach acidity, it's effect is like a natural Alka Seltzer. It is used for stomach ulcers, rheumatism and arthritis.';



http://www.vichysprings.com/vichy_baths/



That's why I reject the CO2 link to global warming--everything they claim ends up being the opposite of the truth!
';Ocean acidification'; is a misnomer. The ocean is not acidic and won't be any time soon.



http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/01/31/oc
Ah yes. Here again we have the crank who knows more than the combined efforts of the worlds' foremost scientists.



With a back of the envelope calculation I can prove the science is bogus!



And hey, I got no alternate explanation for the observed phenomena, and I don't need to!



Cause' I can whip out my favorite bogeyman and claim the whole thing is a communist plot!



Do you have any idea how ridiculous this makes you look?



You may want to pull your punches because you're hitting yourself in the head.



http://www.ocean-acidification.net/