The effect of ocean alkalinity enhancement on a coastal phytoplankton community was assessed via a microcosm experiment. The effect of alkalinity enhancement in two scenarios (i) when enclosed seawater was in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2 and (ii) when enclosed seawater was not in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2 were explored. Alkalinity was increased by ~497 umol/kg in these two treatments and plankton communities, carbonate chemistry, dissolved inorganic nutrients, particulate matter and chlorophyll a dynamics monitored over a 22 day period where a spring bloom occurred.

To understand the environmental impacts of added alkaline minerals on plankton communities, we enclosed natural coastal plankton communities using 53L microcosms and exposed these communities to ground factory slag (2g/53L) and olivine (100g/53L). The microcosms of seawater were kept at 13.5 °C with circulations. The biochemical changes and responses in microcosms were monitored and measured for 21 days. The measured parameters are pH, total alkalinity, temperature, macro-nutrients concentrations, total chlorophyll-a, flow cytometry data, POC/PON, BSi, Rapid Light Curves, zooplankton abundance, the dissolved trace metal concentrations, and the particulate trace metal concentrations.