Impacts on Human Health
Although direct impacts of ocean acidification on human health still have not thoroughly been examined, there are never the less a few that can concern some. Firstly, over a billion people around the globe rely on seafood as a primary source of protein. As the fish in the ocean become fewer by the year due to ocean acidification and other environmental problems, the lack of protein in these people's diets can have severe health consequences, unless substitutes are found.
Another concern is for amnesic shellfish poisoning, which is caused when people eat shellfish that have ingested a toxic algae (phytoplankton). The shellfish consume these algae in events called red tides, where the algae grow expansively due to a high CO2 concentration or other nutrients in the waters. The toxic algae intensifies within the shellfish, and in severe cases poisoned shellfish can paralyse or kill humans who've ingested them. |
Red tide in California |