Oxygen is primarily produced through photosynthesis by plants, algae, and certain bacteria. These organisms use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create energy, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. The vast majority of Earth's oxygen comes from the ocean, specifically from microscopic plankton in the top 200 meters.
Natural Oxygen Production
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Photosynthesis: This is the most significant natural process. As stated in the provided text, "In photosynthesis, plants capture sunlight and use its energy to split carbon dioxide and water, making sugar for itself and releasing oxygen as a by-product." This occurs in both terrestrial plants and oceanic plankton, with the ocean being the larger contributor.
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Oceanic Plankton: The NOAA states that, "The majority of this production is from oceanic plankton — drifting plants, algae, and some bacteria that can photosynthesize." This highlights the vital role of microscopic life in the ocean's oxygen production.
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Deep-Sea Oxygen Production: Recent research indicates that even the deep ocean floor produces oxygen, though through different mechanisms than photosynthesis. From Northwestern Now: "An international team of researchers...has discovered that metallic minerals on the deep-ocean floor produce oxygen through chemical reactions." This is often referred to as "dark oxygen".
Industrial Oxygen Production
Oxygen is also produced industrially through different methods:
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Fractional Distillation of Air: This is the most common method, extracting oxygen from the air. Wikipedia states this is "The most common method is fractional distillation of..."
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Other Methods: Other methods, like pressure swing adsorption and oxygen concentrators, exist but are less prevalent than fractional distillation. As mentioned in the article from PMC, "This article aims to improve our understanding about the medical oxygen, its production (air separation unit, pressure swing adsorption, oxygen concentrators),..."
It's important to note that while a single large tree can produce enough oxygen for several people daily (according to the USDA), the vast majority of Earth's atmospheric oxygen is due to the collective photosynthetic efforts of plants and marine organisms.
