Sargassum is a category of large brown alga that drifts in island-like clusters and never anchors to the ocean floor.
The sargasso sea is a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by currents. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is the largest macroalgae boom in the world. Its numerous leaf-like extensions, branches, and round, berry-like sargassum blooms that constitute the plant are easily noticeable. The “berries” fill with gas and oxygen, causing the plant to float to the surface and wash ashore.
Moreover, Sargassum inundation events can gather harmful pollutants like pesticides and heavy metals, posing risks to both human health and the environment. Sargassum is a type of seaweed that floats near the ocean’s surface. It has the potential to impact human health when it washes up near the shore or decomposes on beaches.
Sargassum can soak up and let go of harmful substances like pesticides and heavy metals, like arsenic. This can be dangerous for people and the environment. You can find it in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, coral reefs and other open oceans. It can spread over long distances.
With the massive amounts of sargassum, it can potentially affect human health nearshore or decomposing on beaches. For example, Sargassum may harbor organisms, like jellyfish, that can cause skin irritation. During the decay, exposure to hydrogen sulfide and ammonia may cause mild to serious long term health effects, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological impacts.
Additionally, it can accumulate leech pollutants, including pesticides and heavy metals which could harm health and the environment.
If you are having problems along your beaches with sargassum, please reach out to GEI Works for solutions.
