By Muhammad Mufti Azis
The idea of global warming was emerged for the first time in 1896 by Svante Arrhenius. Through his thorough study in the USA, he concluded that by doubling the CO2 concentration in atmosphere could lead to 4-5 degree C increase of global temperature. Vice versa, by halving the CO2 concentration will decrease the global temperature of 4-5 degree C too. The amazing thing is, this value is in proximity with current study published by a group of modern scientists, IPCC.
Well, this is quiet interesting to know who is Arrhenius exactly? Born in 1859 from a traditional family in Sweden, he learned by otodidac in his early age. His outstanding intelegentia brings him to study many things from languages (He spoke 7 languages!!), mathematics, chamistry and of course physics. In 1884 (25 Years old!!), He defended his doctoral theses in Upsalla University. At that time, He was a chemist who investigated the electrolyte phenomenon in a salt solution.
Well, it seems like his new idea was not well-understood by his supervisor. He earned mark D for his desertation. What a disaster for a genious guy like him!!!
Despite of hardship for PhD graduates at that time to get a good job, He continuosly work in electrolyte solution. He sent out his paper to several experts in Europe such as Ostwald, Van't Hoff and Boltzmann. Eventually his work in electrolyte solution is granted by Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1903.
For me as a chemical engineer, Arrhenius equation is one of the most important finding in Chemical reaction Engineering. He ingenously formulated the correlation between the rate of reaction with temperature change. Therefore, one can expect how rapid the reaction is if we are working in very high temperature. Indeed, risk analysis and stability becomes the main issue in reactor.
Back to his work in CO2 concentration in atmosphere, today we already know that human activities has increased the CO2 concentration up to 385 ppm. IPCC has set the target to decouple the increase in the level of 550 ppm. Indeed, this work needs cooperation of whole nations to mitigate our world. We only have one earth, no more.
Two thirds of the earth is covered by ocean. I just read an article from Rod Salm in BBC regarding the rescuing our coral reef. This is interesting since probably people doesnt aware what is really happening in deep indside of our ocean.
Ocean absorbs one third of total CO2 entering the atmosphere. Excessive amount of CO2absorbtion will lead to acidification of Coral Reef. I am thinking this phenomena like ostheoporosis in female's backbone. I was thinking the reaction perhaps like this:
CO2 + H20 -> H2CO3
excessive CO2 (higher temperature as well) will expell the CO3 ion to react further with Ca. As we know, most of coral reef building block is made of Calcium!!!. Alright, then ocean will contain a lot of Hydrogen which decreasing the pH -> Acidification. All by all, this phenomena is surely threatening our coral reef population.
To sum up, indeed human is the most responsible element in mitigating "global warming today". Every now and then, "...Put Sustainable Concept in our heart, then try to apply with our everyday's life cycle".... If our generation failed to decouple the rate of CO2 increase, then probably we are the last generation in the earth.
