Topics

Topics:

1)      CO₂ chemistry  & the global carbon cycle

1. History, physical properties, CO₂ in the global carbon cycle (biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere) in terms of pools and fluxes
2. Reactions of CO₂, reaction partners, production of CO₂, fuel combustion, detection of CO₂ (instruments & methods)
3. Conversion of CO₂ – methane, H₂CO₃, CO, impact on energy transfer , CO₂ in the air and in water
4. Industrial uses of CO₂ - precursor to chemicals, food, beverages, wine making, inert gas, fire extinguisher, super critical CO₂ as solvent, oil recovery, refrigerant, coal bed methane recovery

2)      CO₂ in biological systems

1. CO₂ in photosynthesis, CO₂ respiration, 6 ways of CO₂ fixation (enzymes, regulation)
2. Different types of Rubisco, Carbonic anhydrases, carboxysomes, role of synthetic biology in designing CO₂ fixing strains
3. Regulation of CO₂ metabolism, responses to CO₂, CO₂ sensitivity
4. CO₂ in the human body, transport, exchange, toxicity, regulation of respiration

3)      CO₂ in the atmosphere

1. Atmospheric CO₂ levels, change of level during the ages, relation between CO₂ level and lower atmosphere temperature, adaption of plants to increasing CO₂ levels
2. Greenhouse gas, assessment of CO₂ and methane effects on the environment, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, Nobel prize in 2007)
3. Ways to reduce CO₂ emission, use of CO₂ as syngas, other ways to lower the CO₂ concentration in the air
4. Geologic sequestration of CO₂

4)      CO₂ in the oceans

1. Methane and CO₂ depots, the ocean carbon cycle, interdependence of atmospheric and oceanic CO₂
2. Effect of CO₂ on the ocean, especially effects of the pH change (“oyster effect”), changes in ocean carbonate chemistry since the Industrial Revolution, biogeochemical consequences of ocean acidification and feedbacks to the Earth system
3. Interactions of ocean acidification with physical climate change
4. Acclimation and adaption to ocean acidification: Genomics, physiology, and behavior; ecosystem change and resilience in response to ocean acidification, impacts of ocean acidification on food webs and fisheries

5)      CO₂ and the impact on politics