Threatened by thirst… Planet earth faces a ‘Salt Crisis’
A recent study has found that the rising global temperatures will negatively impact the natural salt cycle on Earth.
The study, conducted by experts from the universities of Maryland, Connecticut, and Virginia for Technology, considered the findings a existential threat to sources of freshwater on the planet.
Scientists focused their efforts on a variety of salts present in various environments and highlighted their concentrations in soil and rivers.
The scientists concluded that 2.5 billion acres of soil worldwide have been adversely affected by salinization resulting from human activities that lead to rising Earth temperatures.
Experts found that the salt used by workers to de-ice roads eventually becomes airborne.
Sugai Koshal, a geologist at the University of Maryland, noted that when a significant amount of salt accumulates on Earth, it can harm ecosystems and living organisms.
Koshal pointed out that salt levels have a profound impact on our lives, likening it to accumulated snow on mountain peaks: “It may lead to respiratory diseases.”
Increasing salt levels also pose a threat to the availability of sources of freshwater, which represents a particular problem for providing drinkable water in the future.
