Over the past 50 years, global seafood consumption has increased, with the most noticeable changes taking place in the least developed and food insecure countries. However, the threat of climate change and its effects on ocean chemistry, have the potential to seriously jeopardize the health of marine organisms and their consumers alike. The purpose of this review was to analyze current research on the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and its repercussions on the seafood industry and human health. A qualitative literature review was conducted using journal articles published from 2005 to present to assess the effects of OA on marine organisms within the phyla mollusca and arthropoda. Eight articles were reviewed in depth and the results of this review showed that OA was extremely detrimental to shellfish by reducing the rate of calcification, decreasing the nutritional quality by inhibiting macronutrient storage, deteriorating overall physiological health, and by promoting the uptake of toxins within multiple levels of the food web. These results suggest that the threat of increased carbon dioxide emissions and higher rates of ocean acidification poses a serious threat to seafood safety and the billions of people that rely on marine life, like shellfish, for food. With the growing dependence on the seafood industry, climate change and the effects of OA must be taken into serious consideration to determine the best management practices on how to mitigate the effects of changing ocean chemistry. As a student majoring in both Kinesiology and Environmental Science, this work has aided me in combining both of my passions for public health and environmental science into a project that will assist me in pursuing a career in environmental and marine toxicology.
Author: Hailey Hiner
Faculty Advisor: Sarah Dumyahn, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability
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