Environment

Sargassum Explosion

Beaches in Florida, the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic are being overwhelmed by masses of sargassum, a seaweed now growing explosively because of fertilizer runoff.

While the seaweed is key to the marine environment, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal waters from the fertilizers have caused the proliferation.

This poses a health risk as rotting sargassum creates toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that can be dangerous for people with asthma and other respiratory problems. Florida Atlantic University professor Brian Lapointe says levels of fecal bacteria can also be high around the decaying blooms. He adds that runoff from the Mississippi River and others from the Amazon to the Congo are responsible for the new great “Atlantic Sargassum Belt.”

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