It has been proven that the growth of plankton in the ocean reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the sea. Plankton also emits dimethyl sulphide gas which in turn creates clouds, which reflect sun rays ultimately leading to a cooler earth. Given this information, the study of how to increase the amount of plankton in the ocean is being pursued and has created some interesting results and concepts.

One idea suggests the pouring  of a great amount of powdered iron into the pacific ocean, ideally increasing phytoplankton to 60 million tons so as to absorb carbon dioxide. In a few years the new plankton growth should take about 5 million tons of carbon into the sea bed. Iron has been shown to increase plankton by studies conducted in the sea area north of the Crozet Islands (South Africa), where iron from volcanic rocks fell into the ocean and created a boom in plankton growth, reducing the carbon in that area. This technique, called “Ocean Iron Fertilization” is being sought out as a serious solution for the extreme amount of carbon dioxide contained in the ocean. LOHAFEX, the most recent trial of this iron fertilization, was conducted from January to March 2009 in the Southern Ocean.