Soil as a Sink for Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide

Abstract

The rate of carbon monoxide oxidation by soil increased with increasing carbon monoxide concentration in the gas phase, in line with Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Rates of carbon monoxide oxidation were determined for 20 soils at 0 degrees , 10 degrees , 20 degrees , and 30 degrees C. The observed oxidation rates were used to calculate a global soil uptake rate of atmospheric carbon monoxide of 4.1 x 10(14) grams per year, which is slightly less than the amount of carbon monoxide believed to be produced annually as a result of fossil fuel combustion.