Utilizing soil centrifugation for accurate estimates of carbon dioxide removal via enhanced rock weathering

Utilizing soil centrifugation for accurate estimates of carbon dioxide removal via enhanced rock weathering | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Method Article Utilizing soil centrifugation for accurate estimates of carbon dioxide removal via enhanced rock weathering Gregory Jones, Ziyan Zhang, Katherine Clayton, Lena Lancastle, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271461/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a promising CO 2 removal (CDR) strategy that aims to accelerate the natural process of silicate weathering to increase soil pore water alkalinity and sequester CO 2 . However, the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of ERW remains challenging due to existing limitations of aqueous-phase sampling methodologies, such as passive and tension lysimeters, which may not fully capture weathering fluxes across varying soil moisture conditions. This study assesses the potential of a centrifugation-based pore water extraction method to improve the accuracy and reliability of ERW measurements. Using a forest ERW trial in Wales, UK, we compared the chemistry of soil pore waters obtained via lysimeters and centrifugation from basalt-amended and control plots. The centrifugation method detected elevated total alkalinity and Ca concentrations in soil pore waters from basalt-amended soils, whereas the effect of basalt amendment was not detectable in pore waters extracted via lysimeter. The high tensions applied during centrifugation likely capture weathering products dissolved in meso- and micropore water, which lysimeters cannot extract. These findings suggest that centrifugation provides a scalable, low-cost approach for ERW monitoring, with implications for improving existing MRV protocols. Geochemistry enhanced rock weathering carbon dioxide removal monitoring reporting and verification centrifugation Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Supplementary Files Centrifugationextractionsupportinginformation.docx Centrifugation extraction supporting information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6271461","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Method Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":431744359,"identity":"9dcf6bd2-f61e-4daf-ba21-a0ec537cfc9f","order_by":0,"name":"Gregory 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However, the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of ERW remains challenging due to existing limitations of aqueous-phase sampling methodologies, such as passive and tension lysimeters, which may not fully capture weathering fluxes across varying soil moisture conditions. This study assesses the potential of a centrifugation-based pore water extraction method to improve the accuracy and reliability of ERW measurements. Using a forest ERW trial in Wales, UK, we compared the chemistry of soil pore waters obtained via lysimeters and centrifugation from basalt-amended and control plots. The centrifugation method detected elevated total alkalinity and Ca concentrations in soil pore waters from basalt-amended soils, whereas the effect of basalt amendment was not detectable in pore waters extracted via lysimeter. The high tensions applied during centrifugation likely capture weathering products dissolved in meso- and micropore water, which lysimeters cannot extract. 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