© Jana Koerth
SEA LIGHTS
Foam for eternity
A mysterious foam at the coast fascinates humans and animals alike. The dog flees and approaches this mysterious, glittering phenomenon at the same time. But what looks like a game hides a sinister truth: the foam, which is created by algae blooms, carries an invisible danger.
The dog probably feels a mixture of fascination and fear when it sees the foam. It covers half the beach and slowly wafts inland as a three-dimensional structure. When a gust passes over it, small shreds fly over the mountain of foam and the dog flees briefly, only to approach the flakes again the next moment. Close to the sea, the foam glistens, but a grey layer covers it behind the wash margin.
The fascinating sea foam develops through the decay of single-celled algae. Surface waves break near the shore, the mechanical action causes bubbles to form from the gelatinous mass of algae and air. The bubbles are so stable that they are washed ashore with the waves. The foam algae “Phaeocystis globosa” is responsible for this, a natural phenomenon.
“PFAS are considered to be ‘perpetual chemicals’ as they hardly degrade in the environment.”
Dr Jana Koerth
Both the waterproof outdoor clothing we wear when we look at the foam as well as the frying pan we will use to prepare a meal in the warm house contain perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS for short. The term stands for a large number of chemical compounds that can repel grease, water and high temperatures. These compounds are found in many industrial products today.
PFAS are considered to be 'perpetual chemicals' as they hardly degrade in the environment. They do not dissolve and cannot be burned. We absorb PFAS through our food. The accumulation of these substances in our bodies is associated with the development of a number of diseases.
The contamination of seawater by PFAS is very low. However, the perennial chemicals bind particularly well to sea foam. Recently, increased concentrations have been repeatedly measured at various locations along the coast. The effect of touching the foam has not yet been conclusively clarified – this needs to be researched further in the future.
The dog foam continues to dance. Blown by the wind in all directions, not only in the sea, but also on land. The dog, however, whose perception is somewhat quicker than that of his humans, has seen something else. It is probably a piece that has been washed ashore and is lying a little further along the beach. He sprints there, panting, and immediately rolls around in it – you guessed it, it won't be new style sashimi.
Dr Jana Koerth
... is a marine conservation officer at the state capital of Kiel. She is particularly interested in the diverse interactions between the sea and humans. Here she shows moments of these interactions.
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© Dr. Jana Koerth
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