A huge sargassum wave threatens to come from the Atlantic beaches from Florida for this summer, according to scientific authorities.
Professor Chuanmin Hu of the University of South Florida at Tampa warned in a Telemundo 51 report this Saturday that the size of the current Sargassum wave could set a record this year, measuring about 1,100 square miles (nearly 1,800 square kilometers).
“It’s very big for this time of year,” said the scientist, who believed this wave was “bigger than 2018’s” and could hit South Florida beaches next June.
Sargassum emits an odor compared to rotten eggs that causes irritation in bathers, particularly those with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Sargassum (Sargassum spp.) is a floating macroalgae that forms colonies that cover large areas and move according to ocean currents.
In addition, these algae have structures and components that allow them to float en masse through the sea and land on beaches.
Sargassum waves also affect other coastal areas in the region. The Mexican Caribbean has been facing a serious environmental problem for years due to the accumulation of this algae on its beaches.
This type of brown macroalgae can affect coastal ecosystems as it causes the die-off of marine species such as turtles and fish, in addition to the economic impact due to its impact on tourism activities in the region.
It is also a human health hazard due in part to its decomposition on beaches and its high levels of arsenic and heavy metals, according to a Greenpace study.
However, the organization points out that because of their high levels of potassium and phosphorus, these macroalgae can produce food for captive birds, compost for fertilizer in vegetable crops, and other possible uses in the manufacture of food and medicines.
In addition, they add, it is a plant growth activator, a good germination stimulant, and a corrector of acid and mineral deficiencies.
The organization also points out that the massive arrival of these algae in coastal waters and beaches is due to human activity and climate change, which has increased the surface temperature of the Atlantic Ocean, where this type of macroalgae is found, forming an ecosystem important for fish , crustaceans, turtles and other species.
This phenomenon, they explain, has accelerated their reproduction, which is also favored by changes in ocean currents following the melting of the poles and glaciers.
The sargassum has also grown larger due to the discharge of sewage into the seas containing agrochemicals that serve as nutrients for these organisms.