<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/22/alaska-rivers-turning-orange>
"Dozens of rivers and streams in Alaska are turning rusty orange, a likely
consequence of thawing permafrost, a new study finds.
The Arctic is the fastest-warming region in the globe, and as the frozen ground
below the surface melts, minerals once locked away in that soil are now seeping
into waterways.
“It’s an unforeseen impact of climate change that we’re seeing in some of the
most pristine rivers in our country,” said Brett Poulin, study author and
assistant professor of environmental toxicology at University of California
Davis.
The permafrost thaw is exposing minerals to oxygen in a process known as
weathering, which increases the acidity of the water and dissolves metals like
zinc, copper, cadmium and iron – the most apparent metal that gives the rivers
a rusty color visible even from satellite images. The study highlights the
potential degradation of drinking water and risk to fisheries in the Arctic.
“When mixed with another river, it can actually make the metals even more
potent [in its] impact to aquatic health,” Poulin said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
