Caffeine Level In Sea Causes Concern

DarkHand writes "Researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) have spent three years looking for trace remains of pharmaceuticals in drainage water and the sea near Tromsoe in northern Norway. The project has focused on 16 substances and a high concentration of caffeine was one of the surprising finds. Need a lift in the morning? Have a refreshing glass of seawater!"

Comments

Re:Speaking for myself

[dacarr]

I don't think the caffeine will affect the sharks that drastically. Speaking from personal experience, after a while, caffeine will lose its stimulant effects to the extent that you will go to sleep no matter how much caffeine is coursing through your blood.

pharma. micro-pollution vs. industrial waste

[js7a]

It's important to keep in mind that while pharmaceuticals warrant monitoring, we know for a fact that other obvious pollutants are much worse. For example, cadmium leechage from automobile systems kills orders of magnitude more fish of all kinds than anything estrogens can possibly do.

The sad fact is that the vast majority of the remaining dangerous pollutants are attributable to either coal-fired power generation or automobile use, which are both sacred cows the world over.

Re:pharma. micro-pollution vs. industrial waste

[Orne]

Wrong, the vast majority is attributable to smaller engines with largely unregulated emissions.

Emissions from coal-fired power plants & automobiles are tightly controlled through scrubbers, catalytic converters, etc that don't exist in smaller engine designs... your average weed-wacker, lawn-mower, leaf-blower, chain-saws etc are all guilty.

Re:It's just not fair...

[Anonymous Coward]

That's probably because of the hollywood mind-control in america, that makes people think you can't be clever and athletic at the same time.

OK, I'm rising to the bait...

[dpbsmith]

A single glass of seawater isn't dangerous. (Usual disclaimer: assuming you're an adult, in reasonable good health, the seawater is unpolluted, etc.)

It may not be a great idea because it tastes lousy, it will indeed dehydrate you and make you thirsty, and the magnesium ions in it, in addition to giving it that bitter taste, have the same effect as milk of magnesia.

Certain kinds of health faddists have been drinking seawater for years.

Obviously, dirty seawater from a harbor or near a sewage outflow will put you at bacteriological risk.

If you're lost at sea in a liferaft with no fresh water and dying of thirst, drinking seawater will eventually kill you. But one glass as a (disgusting) morning libation won't do you any harm.