Threats we ought not ignore

Carbon dioxide is quite the buzz phrase. Along with methane, CFCs and a host of other noxious gasses, many believe carbon dioxide is causing global warming whilst nations sit on their arses ignoring tomorrow. The threat to the pearl industry is immense.

As carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, the hydrogen ion concentration increases. This decreases the pH, resulting in a nasty consequence known as acidification. Ocean acidification has dire consequences for calcifying organisms whose skeletal material is built of calcium carbonate. These organisms include corals, echinoderms and, of course, molluscs with shells.

"Ocean acidification is one of the biggest threats to our marine environment," said Miyoko Sakashita, a senior attorney at Center for Biological Diversity. This EPA action "really gave the green light to using the Clean Water Act to address ocean acidification," she said.

According to a recently published report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, about 40,000 bodies of water are currently listed nationwide as impaired.

New Potential with UV-Vis Spectroscopy

I received a post from my friend Dr Gustaf Mamangkey, which I thought to share. Dr Mamangkey is head of the Marine Science Study Program at Sam Ratulangi University in Indonesia.

His thesis is published and is quite a read, but the abstract is thorough.

Something all might find interesting is his latest publication detailing his experimentation with UV-Vis spectroscopy and how it can be used to determine and describe different pearl colors, origin, treatments and enhancements, and as a quantitative measure of pearl lustre.