Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(a)
(b)
Figure 3.4.3
Inorganic carbon cycle
(a) Part of the inorganic carbon cycle: Silicates in bedrock and carbonic acid in soil are
weathered on the earth's surface and transported in rivers as ions dissolved in the
water. This leads to the deposition of minerals in the ocean fl oor as shells of ocean
plankton.
(b) The fi gure shows the inorganic carbon cycle with subduction transporting carbon-
containing minerals deep into the interior of the earth where they melt. The inorganic
carbon cycle is completed when volcanism delivers decomposed minerals to the
atmosphere as CO
2
.
2HCO
3
−
+
2H
+
2CO
2
+
2H
2
O
2H
+
Ca
2
+
CaAl
2
Si
2
O
8
+
+
H
2
O
+
Al
2
Si
2
O
5
(OH)
4
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