Stinky Seaweed Covering Florida – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by nomis_h
According to a professor of coastal science at Florida International University who spoke to Local 10 News in March, this summer may see the biggest bloom of Sargassum, or thick, brown, tangled lumps of seaweed, on South Florida beaches.
The seaweed that has washed ashore in prior years is nothing in comparison to what we’ll see this summer, according to Stephen Leatherman, Ph.D.
The majority of the Sargassum seaweed bloom, which typically arrives in June and July, will be the greatest ever observed throughout the Caribbean and eastern Florida shores, according to NASA scientists.
However, the enormous, ugly bloom can now be fatal as well. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University recently discovered that vibrio vulnificus, sometimes known as flesh-eating bacteria, can accumulate in Sargassum, a living colony of brown macroalga, when plastic marine trash is mixed with it. According to the experts, the interplay between Sargassum and plastic waste creates the ideal environment for a “pathogen” storm.
According to Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., corresponding lead author of the study and assistant professor of biology at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, “plastic is a new element that has been introduced into marine environments and has only been around for about 50 years.” Our laboratory tests show that these Vibrio are incredibly aggressive and can locate and adhere to plastic in a matter of minutes. Additionally, we discovered that viruses and bacteria both use the same kinds of attachment elements to adhere to plastics.
The disease vibriosis is caused by about a dozen species of bacteria in the genus Vibrio and can be contracted through ingestion or infection of an open wound. When consumed, the bacteria might result in vomiting, fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, and stomach pains. One species of Vibrio can occasionally cause necrotizing fasciitis, a condition that quickly kills the skin around an infected wound and is recognized medically as a flesh-eating illness.
The genomics investigation discovered that Vibrio pathogens might adhere to microplastics. Although “Water Research,” a journal, published it, Mincer noted there is still a lot of research to be done.
According to Mincer of Science Daily, “I don’t think at this point, anyone has really considered these microbes and their capability to cause infections.” “We’re really trying to get the word out about these concerns. Until the dangers are better understood, caution should be used in particular when harvesting and processing sargassum biomass.
Anyone entering the water or moving through or near the thick Sargassum should use caution. Precautions for flesh-eating germs are advised by the CDC:
If you have a wound (including one from recent surgery, a piercing, or a tattoo), avoid the water, or cover the area with a waterproof bandage if you think salt water might get in touch with it.
If cuts or wounds have come into contact with seawater, properly wash them with soap and water.
If you experience a skin infection, speak with a medical practitioner and let them know whether you’ve recently been exposed to salt water.
In addition, Mincer noted that the group of researchers found a collection of genes known as “zot” genes, which were first found in the cholera-causing bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which is typically uncommon in the United States and other industrialized countries. But when the plastic and Sargassum mass interact, these “zot” genes—which cause leaky gut syndrome—are also discovered.
According to Mercer, “For instance, if a fish eats a piece of plastic and becomes infected by this Vibrio, which then causes a leaky gut and diarrhea, it’s going to release waste nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate that could stimulate Sargassum growth and other nearby organisms.”
The study’s conclusion demonstrates that pathogen development chances grow with higher human-Sargassum-plastic trash interaction. According to a study published in a publication, evidence indicated that beached sargassum “appears to harbor high amounts of vibrio bacteria.”
According to experts, there was a significant increase in seaweed in 2014, 2019, and now it’s time to be ready for the largest-ever Sargassum bloom in 2023.
Each morning, cleanup teams from numerous towns in South Florida cleanse the beaches of seaweed.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
