Climate 'fix' could poison sea life

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 16 Mar 2010, 06:19

BBC News - 16/03/10

Fertilising the oceans with iron to absorb carbon dioxide could increase concentrations of a chemical that can kill marine mammals, a study has found.

Iron stimulates growth of marine algae that absorb CO2 from the air, and has been touted as a "climate fix".

Now researchers have shown that the algae increase production of a nerve poison that can kill mammals and birds.

Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they say this raises "serious concern" over the idea.

The toxin - domoic acid - first came to notice in the late 1980s as the cause of amnesiac shellfish poisoning.

Article continues ...

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 16 Mar 2010, 06:56

Amnesiac shellfish poisoning? Do they forget who they are?

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 16 Mar 2010, 07:11

This must be enough to knock the idea on the head.