Toxic News from the Deep Ocean
Reuters reported this weekend that “a nerve toxin produced by marine algae off California appears to affect creatures in the deep ocean, posing a greater threat that previously thought.” The article stems from a new report in Nature Geoscience.
“It’s a natural neurotoxin. It is produced by a diatom, which is a phytoplankton. As other animals eat this phytoplankton, like sardines or anchovies, this toxin can be transferred up the food chain,” said Emily Sekula-Wood, a doctoral student at the University of South Carolina…
Sekula-Wood and colleagues looked to see whether the toxin was reaching the ocean floor.
[...]“Our data further confirm that domoic acid-laced sinking particulates are incorporated into underlying sediments, where they are available for consumption and incorporation into bottom feeders,” the researchers wrote.
“It can make us think about the longevity of these toxins,” Sekula-Wood said.
