![]() ![]() Harmful algal blooms release toxins that contaminate drinking water, causing illnesses for animals and humans. Harmful algal blooms are mainly the result of a type of algae called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.Įlevated nutrient levels and algal blooms can also cause problems in drinking water in communities nearby and upstream from dead zones. Harmful algal blooms can occur in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, bays and coastal waters, and the toxins they produce can be harmful to human health and aquatic life. When some types of algae blooms are large and produce chemicals, or toxins, the event is called a harmful algal bloom. The largest dead zone in the United States – about 6,500 square miles – is in the Gulf of Mexico and occurs every summer as a result of nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River Basin. The lack of oxygen makes it impossible for aquatic life to survive. Symptoms include pleuritic chest pain, substernal heaviness, coughing, and dyspnea secondary to tracheobronchitis and absorptive atelectasis which can lead to pulmonary edema. When the algae eventually dies, the oxygen in the water is consumed. Pulmonary effects can present as early as within 24 hours of breathing pure oxygen. This condition is called acidemia and, if prolonged, causes acidosis, which is injury to the bodys cells by a rise in acidity that. Increased levels of CO2 also affect the pH level of your blood, turning it more acidic. The overgrowth of algae consumes oxygen and blocks sunlight from underwater plants. If your blood becomes saturated with too much CO2, you develop the condition known as hypercapnia. ![]() Dead zones are generally caused by significant nutrient pollution, and are primarily a problem for bays, lakes and coastal waters since they receive excess nutrients from upstream sources.Įxcess nitrogen and phosphorus cause an overgrowth of algae in a short period of time, also called algae blooms. Dead zones are areas of water bodies where aquatic life cannot survive because of low oxygen levels. ![]()
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