Changes in CO2 Absorption Efficiency of NaOH Solution Trap with Temperature

Under the projected global warming, release of carbon as $CO_2$ through soil organic matter decomposition is expected to increase. Therefore, accurate measurement of $CO_2$ released from soil is crucial in understanding the soil carbon dynamics under increased temperature conditions. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) traps are frequently used in laboratory soil incubation studies to measure soil respiration rate, but decreasing $CO_2$ gas solubility with increasing temperature may render the reliability of the method questionable. In this study, the influences of increasing temperature on the $CO_2$ capture capacity of NaOH traps were evaluated under $5{\sim}35^{\circ}C$ temperature range at $10^{\circ}C$ interval. Two closed-chamber experiments were performed where NaOH traps were used to capture $CO_2$ either released from acidified $Na_2CO_3$ solution or directly injected into the chamber. The sorption of ambient $CO_2$ within the incubators into NaOH traps was also measured. The amount $CO_2$ captured increased as temperature increased within 2 days of incubation, suggesting that increased diffusion rate of $CO_2$ at higher temperatures led to increases in $CO_2$ captured by the NaOH traps. However, after 2 days, over 95% of $CO_2$ emitted in the emission-absorption experiment was captured regardless of temperature, demonstrating high $CO_2$ absorption efficiency of the NaOH traps. Thus, we conclude that the influence of decreased $CO_2$ solubility by increased temperatures is negligible on the $CO_2$ capture capacity of NaOH traps, supporting that the use of NaOH traps in the study of temperature effect on soil respiration is a valid method.