November 22, 2024

Decades of Damage: Humans Are Contaminating the Baltic Sea With Toxic Metals

Credit: Colleen Hansel, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionNew research study by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and other institutions reveals that human activities have contributed considerably to the presence of hazardous thallium in the Baltic Sea, accounting for in between 20% and 60% of the total thallium contamination over the last 80 years.Currently, the quantity of thallium (component symbol TI), which is considered the most harmful metal for mammals, remains low in Baltic seawater. The research suggests that the amount of thallium might increase due to further anthropogenic, or human-induced, activities, or due to human or natural re-oxygenation of the Baltic that could make the sea less sulfide-rich. Much of the thallium in the Baltic Sea, the largest human-induced hypoxic location on Earth, collects in the sediment thanks to plentiful sulfide minerals.”Humans are launching a lot of thallium into the Baltic Sea, and people ought to be made aware of that. If this continues– or if we even more alter the chemistry of the Baltic Sea in the future or if it naturally alters– then more thallium could collect.

Credit: Colleen Hansel, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionNew research by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and other organizations exposes that human activities have contributed significantly to the presence of harmful thallium in the Baltic Sea, accounting for in between 20% and 60% of the overall thallium pollution over the last 80 years.Currently, the amount of thallium (component sign TI), which is thought about the most harmful metal for mammals, stays low in Baltic seawater. The research recommends that the quantity of thallium could increase due to additional anthropogenic, or human-induced, activities, or due to natural or human re-oxygenation of the Baltic that could make the sea less sulfide-rich. Much of the thallium in the Baltic Sea, the biggest human-induced hypoxic location on Earth, collects in the sediment thanks to plentiful sulfide minerals.