Taylor Watts \ Oceans First, Issue 4, 2017, pgs. 53-60.  Download PDF

Abstract

Corals all over the world are diminishing quickly due to ocean acidification and from human causes. Future predictions state that coral calcification will decline by 78% by 2100 due to greenhouse gas emissions (Rinkevich. 2015); if the corals disappear our oceans will suffer. Once corals die or become damaged, healing and the rebuilding of their calcium carbonate structure takes far too long; this means corals are diminishing far faster than they are being replenished. A new scientific process called electrolysis has since been discovered that may be the only chance for corals to gain any ground in rebuilding themselves. Electrolysis is the process of using electric current to create environments with high concentrations of calcium and carbonate ions in order for natural calcification to occur. However, electrolysis is not a well-known practice, nor is it heavily experimented. This paper discusses the process of electrolysis and the benefits of such a practice. The main goal of this paper is to prove that the process of electrolysis to rehabilitate corals should be used on a global scale.