(Commonwealth Union)_ Brown seaweed, known as pelagic sargassum, is a floating species that is most common in the Atlantic. In the past ten years, unheard-of quantities of this seaweed have thrown up on the shores of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the United States and West Africa, raising worries about human health and having a severe effect on the environment and the economy. More sargassum has been found at sea in recent satellite photos than in earlier ones. The invasion this year may be the worst since the disastrous 2018 season, according to experts.
Sargassum has destroyed Caribbean businesses that depend on tourism and fishing due to the toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that the seaweed emits as it decomposes and the regularity with which these influxes have returned since 2011. However, we can take action. A research team has come up with a fresh method for converting sargassum into bioenergy and fertilizer a solution that might aid in beach restoration, provide employment, and generate renewable electricity.
In the Caribbean, tourism is a significant industry, contributing 30–40% of the GDP of some of the smaller countries. Visitor numbers have decreased as a result of rotting seaweed. Additionally, the presence of sargassum has led to an emergency situation in numerous islands’ fisheries. Seaweed has decreased visibility, increased the likelihood of fishing net entanglement, caused extensive boat damage, and decreased fish catch. The marine ecology is further impacted by sargassum buildup on beaches and along shallow coasts, which hinders sea turtle breeding and results in fish die-offs owing to water deoxygenation and toxins.
Hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas with a rotten-egg odor released when the seaweed breaks down, is also dangerous to human health and infrastructural integrity. Sargassum has been used in certain small-scale projects, although landfilling is still the principal strategy for controlling the influxes. With high labor and energy costs, this strategy is a pricy practice.
