BIO

My name is Mario Velo, I am a third year Biochemistry major from Miami, FL. I plan on attending medical school after graduating. Fun fact about me, I'm a big Real Madrid fan and hope to attend a match at the Santiago Bernabéu one day.

CO2 production and O2 consumption of the nuisance macroalgae Sargassum on the beach and in nearshore waters

Abstract

The macroalgae Sargassum sp. threatens Florida and Caribbean sandy beaches where it accumulates in large piles, polluting beach and water and deterring tourists. This research aims to quantify the rate at which sargassum degrades through gas dynamics in moisture-saturated air (as on the beach surface) and air-saturated seawater (as in the nearshore waters). The working hypothesis was that the degradation rates in air and seawater are low but similar. To test this hypothesis, two laboratory experiments used air- and water filled gas-tight reaction jars, with known volume, respectively, were conducted to determine the degradation rates through changes in the oxygen consumption rates and carbon dioxide production rates. The results reveal relatively high degradation rates, with rates in moist air exceeding that in air-saturated seawater. Coastal managers can use these rates for planning clean up procedures suitable to best protect the environment and coastal economies.

Keywords: degradation Algae CO2 O2 consumption