The Laboratory of bio-hydrochemistry is working on the offshore section of the Gelendzhik carboniferous range at the Southern Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of RAS.

“We measure temperature and salinity in the surface water layer of the landfill, take samples to determine pH and total alkalinity for the final calculation of the carbon dioxide flux at the ocean-atmosphere boundary. Teachers and 2nd year students of the Department of Oceanology, Faculty of Geography, Moscow State University help us in our work, so we also conduct educational activities! The guys are great, they have mastered the methods for determining the parameters of the carbonate system and are now processing the data for further analysis,” says the head of the laboratory, PhD Alexander Polukhin.

The purpose of the work is to assess the emission and absorption of greenhouse gases at the water-atmosphere boundary, the tasks include monitoring the content of carbon dioxide, monitoring the components of the Black Sea carbonate system (alkalinity, pH acidity index). The monitoring of the parameters of the carbonate system of waters and the partial pressure of CO2 in the atmosphere has been carried out continuously since January 2023 as part of the federal carbon landfill program. The Gelendzhik polygon belongs to the general system of carbon polygons in Russia and is unique because it combines both offshore and coastal areas.