When algae decompose on land, they release hydrogen sulfide that smells like rotten eggs. Algae can contain heavy metals.
A huge mass of brown algae is drifting towards the coast of the United States and the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. In all, about 6.1 million tons of algae moved from the mid-Atlantic to the Caribbean, marine scientists at the University of South Florida reported. That’s the second-highest amount of algae since records began in 2011. The first foothills of the algal cloud have already appeared on the beaches of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, he said.
According to media reports, beaches on the island of Key West, in the far south of the US, have already been affected. Algae is affecting the important tourism industry in the region.
When the algae rots after landing, it releases the rotten-egg-smelling hydrogen sulfide gas, the Florida Department of Health wrote on its website. The gas is not dangerous, but it can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. In addition, the microorganisms that live in algae can lead to skin rashes, for example. The researchers also warn against eating the algae or using it as a fertilizer. They can contain large amounts of heavy metals such as arsenic or cadmium, he said.
The spread of algae is massively increasing
Algae themselves are not new. Scientists wrote in a 2019 study that Christopher Columbus had already described them in the 15th century. However, their spread has increased enormously since 2011. The algal carpet stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, the scientists wrote. The exact reason for this is still unclear. However, the excessive growth may be related to the entry of nitrogen and phosphorus from large rivers such as the Amazon, Congo or Mississippi into the oceans, said Brian Lapointe, of Florida Atlantic University, of the “New York Times”.
(APA/dpa)