Background: Methanogens and greenhouse Effect In recent years, Earth has been faced with the large challenge of Global Warming. This global challenge is primarily due to the emissions of natural gas into the atmosphere over the last few decades. Carbon Dioxide is the most well-known natural gas; however it is not the worst. 20% of current global warming is caused by Methane, which is over 20 times more efficient in retaining heat as a natural gas than Carbon Dioxide. Unfortunately, in the last century methane has been on a high rise and an even sharper rise since 2007. Thus in coming years it will become more severely damaging to the environment. Currently, due to global warming the vast wetlands spread across the north of the globe as well as the rest of the scattered wetlands are all being heated. These higher temperatures provide better environments for methanogens, a type of archeabacteria, which emits methane. Thus, as methanogens thrive, more methane is released, and temperatures rise. This vicious cycle of methane is not only occurring throughout the world’s several vast wetlands and swamps, but also in Asia’s numerous and giant rice paddy fields. Wetlands are reason for nearly 80% of natural methane emissions, and rice paddies are major producers of man-induced emissions, but secondary to industrial emission. Methanogens are clearly a large cause for methane emissions, about 35%. Thus methanogens contribute to about 10% of global warming, which is a large percentage to drop, especially when considering that this will become a much heavier number in coming years. It turns out that it may be a percentage to drop using nanotechnology.
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Background: Nano-Silver's Abilities
In the last decade nanotechnology has boomed greatly, and various new products and medical cures have arrived due to the boom. Nanotechnology has been able to put an ancient remedy to extremely
effective use. For centuries humanity has used silver’s healing properties to disinfect wounds and food. Nanoparticles of silver have more surface area and so they are more effective in disinfection. Silver destroys many unicellular organisms, as well as viruses, and fungi. This includes methanogens. The silver nanoparticles break through the cell wall and release silver ions which bind with enzymes and DNA. Thus it stops the cell’s digestion, respiration, and cell replication. |
In order to greatly stun global warming, and reduce greenhouse gasses, we must kill large cultures of methanogens in wetlands and rice paddies using
nanoparticles of silver. Silver nanotechnology seems to be the most effective way to reduce the methanogen population, for other techniques such as fire or poison, would destroy the rest of the environment. Also in the cases of most other techniques, other than silver and fire, the archeabacteria would evolve to be immune to the attack. There appear to be numerous reasons to dispel this idea, however none are truly valid. Methanogens use carbon dioxide, and so they seem to help the environment, however the truth is that it emits methane which is even more dangerous. In addition, Carbon Dioxide is preferred to methane, for recently new nanotechnology inventions have provided us with the ability to delete amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, but there is still no means as to delete methane.
Another unreasonable excuse to not execute this plan is that there is already an efficient system in place to reduce methane, which is that it is being used as a biofuel. As of now, methane is not a popular fuel source, and the amount that is being converted to fuel is being emitted by cattle and industrial sources. The methanogen source is not being converted, and the technology to do so is still not available. Thus a lot of methane is still being emitted into the air. With the elimination of most methanogens, industrial methane and cattle methane will be able to sustain the methane biofuel.
Critics are also likely to claim that the silver nanoparticles will hurt the rest of the ecosystem surrounding the methanogen rich environments. For example, when spreading silver around the rice paddy fields, the silver does not damage the crops, soil, or the humans. When sprayed on to the crops it will not harm the plant, but instead keep it safe from bacteria. Thus on the rice paddy fields of south Asia, it not only eliminates large cultures of methanogens, but also ensure the safety of the crops. In the wetlands and swamps, fungi are not scarce. Thus in order for them not to be killed in the process of eliminating the methanogens, in the bordering areas of the methanogen population control, decomposing organic matter shall be placed. Due to this, fungi will probably
thrive as well. There are basically no negative effects of this plan but plenty of positive benefits regarding the limiting of greenhouse gasses and so global warming. Thus this plan should be placed into effectiveness.
Cautionary action must be taken, however, because the ecology of wetlands and rice paddy fields is not only fragile but also extremely vital. Without methanogens all life would cease to exist. This is because of the global carbon dioxide cycle in which methanoges are vital. Basically the anaerobic methanogens decompose plant matter and give out methane. This methane is then used by the aerobic bacteria which give out carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is taken up by vegetation which eventually dies and is decomposed. The problem in the cycle comes with the fact that methanogens emit more methane than the aerobic bacteria actually consume. In order to eliminate this excess, but nobe destroy this vital cycle, only a portion of the methanogen population of the rice paddy fields and wetlands shall be eliminated. If this plan is executed the balance of ecology will be enforced and the greenhouse effect, basically global warming, will be reduced.
nanoparticles of silver. Silver nanotechnology seems to be the most effective way to reduce the methanogen population, for other techniques such as fire or poison, would destroy the rest of the environment. Also in the cases of most other techniques, other than silver and fire, the archeabacteria would evolve to be immune to the attack. There appear to be numerous reasons to dispel this idea, however none are truly valid. Methanogens use carbon dioxide, and so they seem to help the environment, however the truth is that it emits methane which is even more dangerous. In addition, Carbon Dioxide is preferred to methane, for recently new nanotechnology inventions have provided us with the ability to delete amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, but there is still no means as to delete methane.
Another unreasonable excuse to not execute this plan is that there is already an efficient system in place to reduce methane, which is that it is being used as a biofuel. As of now, methane is not a popular fuel source, and the amount that is being converted to fuel is being emitted by cattle and industrial sources. The methanogen source is not being converted, and the technology to do so is still not available. Thus a lot of methane is still being emitted into the air. With the elimination of most methanogens, industrial methane and cattle methane will be able to sustain the methane biofuel.
Critics are also likely to claim that the silver nanoparticles will hurt the rest of the ecosystem surrounding the methanogen rich environments. For example, when spreading silver around the rice paddy fields, the silver does not damage the crops, soil, or the humans. When sprayed on to the crops it will not harm the plant, but instead keep it safe from bacteria. Thus on the rice paddy fields of south Asia, it not only eliminates large cultures of methanogens, but also ensure the safety of the crops. In the wetlands and swamps, fungi are not scarce. Thus in order for them not to be killed in the process of eliminating the methanogens, in the bordering areas of the methanogen population control, decomposing organic matter shall be placed. Due to this, fungi will probably
thrive as well. There are basically no negative effects of this plan but plenty of positive benefits regarding the limiting of greenhouse gasses and so global warming. Thus this plan should be placed into effectiveness.
Cautionary action must be taken, however, because the ecology of wetlands and rice paddy fields is not only fragile but also extremely vital. Without methanogens all life would cease to exist. This is because of the global carbon dioxide cycle in which methanoges are vital. Basically the anaerobic methanogens decompose plant matter and give out methane. This methane is then used by the aerobic bacteria which give out carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is taken up by vegetation which eventually dies and is decomposed. The problem in the cycle comes with the fact that methanogens emit more methane than the aerobic bacteria actually consume. In order to eliminate this excess, but nobe destroy this vital cycle, only a portion of the methanogen population of the rice paddy fields and wetlands shall be eliminated. If this plan is executed the balance of ecology will be enforced and the greenhouse effect, basically global warming, will be reduced.