4.5 Article

A custom, low-cost, continuous flow chamber built for experimental Sargassum seaweed decomposition and exposure of small rodents to generated gaseous products

期刊

HELIYON
卷 9, 期 8, 页码 -

出版社

CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18787

关键词

Sargassum seaweed; Exposure chamber; Hydrogen sulfide; Decomposition

向作者/读者索取更多资源

Since 2011, there has been an increase in Sargassum events along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts. The accumulation and decomposition of Sargassum seaweed on beaches pose various risks to socio-economic, ecological, and health factors. However, there is limited research on the emission processes and health effects of subchronic and chronic exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This study aims to create a custom chamber to simulate Sargassum decomposition and investigate the associated health risks.
Since 2011, Sargassum events have increased in frequency along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts. The accumulation and decomposition of large amounts of Sargassum seaweed on beaches pose socio-economic, ecological, and health risks due to the emission of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane, and ammonia. However, limited research exists on the emission processes and the health effects of subchronic and chronic exposure to low levels of H2S. Additionally, the absence of emission factor data for Sargassum decomposition on-site makes health risk assessments challenging. This study aimed to create a custom chamber to simulate real-world Sargassum decomposition, exposing experimental animals to the generated gases. Metal content was analyzed, and emission rates were estimated in a controlled environment. The decompositionexposure system replicated reported environmental gas emissions from the Caribbean region, except for NH3. H2S bursts were observed during the decomposition process at intervals of 2-10 days, with higher frequency associated with larger masses of decomposing Sargassum. The decomposed gas was transferred to the exposure chamber, resulting in an 80-87% reduction in H2S concentration. The maximum H2S emission was 156 ppm, with a concentration ranging from 50.4 to 56.5 ppm. An estimated emission rate of 7-8 g/h for H2S was observed, and significant levels of lead, arsenic, and aluminum were found in beached Sargassum from the northeast coast of Brazil. This study's developed model provides an opportunity to investigate the effects and risks to human health associated with exposure to gases produced during the environmental decomposition of Sargassum seaweed.

作者

我是这篇论文的作者
点击您的名字以认领此论文并将其添加到您的个人资料中。

评论

主要评分

4.5
评分不足

次要评分

新颖性
-
重要性
-
科学严谨性
-
评价这篇论文

推荐

暂无数据
暂无数据