Dozens of Alaskan rivers have turned bright orange in recent years because melting permafrost has released high levels of toxic metals into the waterways, a worrying new study reveals. The colorful contamination, which can be seen from space, is a potential ecological nightmare — and is likely to get even worse in the coming years, researchers say.
"The more we flew around, we started noticing more and more orange rivers and streams," study lead author Jon O'Donnell, an ecologist with the National Park Service's Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network, said in a statement."There are certain sites that look almost like a milky orange juice." The high metal concentration and acidity of the water can both be tied to melting permafrost — a permanently frozen layer of Earth's surface that covers large swaths of the Arctic. As the frozen ground thaws thanks to human-caused climate change, previously sealed minerals are exposed to rain for the first time in thousands of years, allowing metals to dissolve out of the rocks and into surrounding streams, which feed larger rivers.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The idea for the new study was seeded back in 2018 when researchers visited a rust-colored river that had been crystal clear just a year earlier. However, subsequent satellite sleuthing revealed images of orange rivers dating back as far as 2008.
United Kingdom United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: cleantechnica - 🏆 565. / 51 Read more »