Presentation Profile
Evaluating Coastal Prairie Soils for Long-Term Carbon Removal
Currently Scheduled: 10/14/2025 - 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM
Room: South Lobby
Main Author
Pauline Nguyen - University of Houston
- Jagos Radovic - University of Houston
- Thomas Malloy - University of Houston
Abstract:
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies are vital for reducing atmospheric CO₂. This study investigates the potential of coastal prairie soils at the University of Houston Coastal Center (UHCC) to act as long-term carbon sinks. Thirty-five soil samples from topsoil and subsoil layers were analyzed using RockEval 6 pyrolysis. TOC ranged from 0.16% to 4.05%, with S1 values of 0.02-0.13 mg/g and S2 values of 0.17-6.63 mg/g, revealing variability in labile and resistant carbon pools. These findings highlight the potential of prairie soils in scalable, cost-effective carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies.
