In the Black Sea, hydrogen sulphide: the causes of the explosion and the consequences

Man is an integral part of nature. She can be supportive, friendly to us. We drink water, breathe air, get warmth and food from the environment. This is the source of our life.

But our planet can not only give its wealth to people, but also bring destruction, misfortunes and hardships. Earthquakes, fires and floods, tornadoes and volcanic eruptions take lives of many people. A natural catastrophe may be hydrogen sulphide in the Black Sea. There is a lot of it in these waters.

Neighborhood with the Black Sea can cause tragedy for many people. What are the options for the development of events, as well as how to avoid them, scientists find out. It is interesting to know about their opinion to every inhabitant of our country and the whole world.

What is hydrogen sulphide?

Without going into chemical formulas, it is necessary to consider what properties hydrogen sulphide possesses. It is a colorless gas that is characterized by a stable combination of sulfur and hydrogen. It is destroyed only at temperatures above 500 ° C.

It is toxic to all living organisms. In this environment, only some types of bacteria survive. The gas is known for its specific smell of eggs, which are foul. There is no flora and fauna in the water in which hydrogen sulphide is dissolved. The waters of the Black Sea contain it in huge quantities. The hydrogen sulphide zone is simply spectacularly huge.

It was discovered back in 1890 by NI Andrusov. True, in those days it was not exactly known in what quantities it contained these waters. The researchers lowered metal objects to different depths. In hydrosulphuric water, the indicators are covered with a black sulphide layer. Therefore, there is a suggestion that this sea got its name precisely because of this feature of its waters.

Features of the Black Sea

Some people ask: where does the hydrogen sulfide come from in the Black Sea? But it should be noted that this is not an exclusive feature of the presented reservoir. This gas is found in so many seas and lakes all over the world. It accumulates in natural layers due to the lack of oxygen at great depths.

Organic remains, falling to the bottom, do not oxidize, but decay. This contributes to the formation of toxic gas. In the Black Sea, it is dissolved in 90% of the water mass. Moreover, the bedding layer is uneven. At the coast it begins at a depth of 300 m, and in the center it is already at the level of 100 m. But in some areas of the Black Sea, the layer of clean water is even smaller.

There is one more theory of the origin of hydrogen sulphide. Some scientists argue that it is formed because of the tectonic activity of volcanoes acting on the bottom. But there are more adherents of biological theory.

Movement of water masses

In the process of mixing the water masses , hydrogen sulphide in the Black Sea changes. The reasons for which it nevertheless accumulate, consist in a different level of salinity of water. The layers are very poorly mixed, since the sea does not have sufficient communication with the ocean.

Only two narrow straits contribute to the process of water exchange. The Bosporus strait connects the Black Sea with the Marble, and the Dardanelles Strait - with the Mediterranean. Closure of the reservoir leads to the fact that the Black Sea has a salinity of only 16-18 ppm. The oceanic masses are characterized by this indicator at the level of 34-38 ppm.

The Sea of Marmara acts as an intermediary between these two systems. Its salinity is 26 ppm. The water of the Marble enters the Black Sea and descends to the bottom (since it is heavier). The difference in temperature, density and salinity of the layers leads to the fact that they are mixed very slowly. Therefore, hydrogen sulphide accumulates in natural masses.

Ecological catastrophy

Hydrogen sulphide in the Black Sea has become the subject of close attention of scientists for a number of reasons. The environmental situation here has deteriorated significantly in recent decades. Mass plums of waste of various origin led to the death of many species of algae, plankton. They began to settle at the bottom faster. Also scientists have established that in 2003 the colony of red alga was completely destroyed. This representative of the flora produced about 2 million cubic meters. M oxygen per year. This hindered the growth of hydrogen sulfide.

Nowadays, the main competitor of poison gas simply does not exist. Therefore, environmentalists are worried about the situation. While it does not threaten our safety, but eventually the gas bubble can escape to the surface.

When hydrogen sulfide comes into contact with air, an explosion occurs. He destroys all life in the radius of defeat. No ecosystem can withstand human activities. This brings a possible catastrophe.

Explosion at sea

In history, sad incidents are known when the waters of the sea were blazing with fire. The first recorded incident occurred in 1927, 25 kilometers from Yalta. At this time, the city was destroyed by a powerful earthquake of eight points.

But it was remembered by the injured residents and a terrible fire that swept the water expanses. People then had no idea why the Black Sea was burning. Hydrogen sulfide, whose explosion was caused by tectonic activity, came to the surface. But such cases can happen again.

Hydrogen sulfide, coming to the surface, contacts the air. This leads to an explosion. It can destroy entire cities.

The first factor of a possible explosion

An explosion that can kill thousands, millions of people and all living organisms in the affected area can happen with a high degree of probability. And that's why. In the Black Sea, hydrogen sulphide is not processed, accumulating under the ever decreasing stratum of clean water. Mankind refers to this problem irresponsibly. Instead of applying technologies for processing poisonous gas, we drain waste into the water. The process of decay is aggravated.

Telephone, oil and gas pipelines run along the bottom of the Black Sea. They are damaged, fires occur. This can lead to an explosion. Therefore, human activity can be considered the first factor of a possible catastrophe.

The second cause of the explosion

Natural cataclysms can also trigger an explosion. Tectonic activity in this area is not uncommon. Hydrogen sulphide at the bottom of the Black Sea can be disturbed by an earthquake or volcanic eruption. Scientists say: if today there was the same disaster as in September 1927, the explosion would be so strong that a huge number of people would die. Further in the atmosphere would be a huge amount of sulfur. Acid rain would do a lot of harm.

A thin layer of clean water is getting smaller. Particularly close to hydrogen sulphide comes to the surface in the southeast of the Black Sea. When shifts of tectonic rocks in this area, a terrible catastrophe is possible. But to date, an explosion is possible in any area.

The third cause of the disaster

Thinning a clean layer of sea water can lead to the spontaneous release of a bubble of toxic gas from the bowels. Whence in the Black Sea there is so much hydrogen sulfide, it is not necessary to be surprised. The main factors of deterioration of the ecological situation were considered earlier.

Scientists say: if all hydrogen sulfide resting on the bottom rises to the surface, the explosion will be comparable to the impact of an asteroid half the size of the moon. This would be a global catastrophe, forever changing the face of our planet.

In some areas, a poisonous gas approaches the surface at a distance of 15 m. Scientists claim that at this level hydrogen sulphide disappears during the autumn storms. But this trend is still alarming. Over time, the situation, unfortunately, only worsens. From time to time, a huge amount of dead fish, trapped in a hydrogen sulphide cloud, is nailed to the shores. Also plankton, algae. This is a formidable warning to humanity about the impending catastrophe.

Similar accidents

Poisonous gas is found in many water bodies in the world. This is by no means a unique phenomenon characterized by the bottom of the Black Sea. Hydrogen sulphide has already shown its destructive power to people. From history you can gather information about such misfortunes.

For example, in Cameroon, in the village on the shores of Lake Nyos, the entire population was killed because of the gas rising to the surface. The people who were caught in the disaster were found in time by the guests of the village. This misfortune took away in 1986 the lives of 1,746 people.

Six years earlier, these events in Peru fishermen going to sea, returned without a catch. Their ships were black because of the oxide film. People starved, as a large fish population died.

In 1983, for unknown reasons, the water of the Dead Sea darkened. It seemed to have been turned over, and hydrogen sulphide rose to the surface from the bottom. If such a process occurred in the Black Sea, all living things in the surrounding areas would die as a result of an explosion or poisoning with poisonous fumes.

The real situation today

In the Black Sea, hydrogen sulphide constantly makes itself felt. The upwellings (rising currents) raise the gases to the surface. They are not rare in the Crimean, Caucasian areas. Near Odessa, there are cases of mass death of fish, which fell into the hydrogen sulphide cloud.

Very dangerous situation, when such emissions occur in a thunderstorm. Lightning, caught in a large hearth, provokes a fire. The smell of rotten eggs, which people feel, indicates the excess of the permissible concentration of a poisonous substance in the air.

This can lead to poisoning and even death. Therefore, the deterioration of the ecological situation should be noted by us. It is necessary to take measures to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulphide in the waters of the Black Sea.

Ways to solve the problem

Specialists are developing several ways to remove hydrogen sulphide in the Black Sea. A group of Kherson scientists suggests using gas as fuel. For this, the pipe is lowered to a depth and once the water is lifted to the surface. It will be like opening a bottle of champagne. Sea water, mixing with gas, will boil. From this stream, hydrogen sulphide will be extracted and used for economic purposes. During combustion, gas generates a large amount of heat.

Another idea is to conduct aeration. For this, fresh water is pumped into deep-seated pipes. It has a lower density and will promote the mixing of marine layers. This method is successfully used in aquariums. When water is used from wells in private homes, it is sometimes necessary to clean it from hydrogen sulfide. In this case aeration is also successfully used.

Which way to choose is not so important. The main thing is to work on solving the environmental problem. In the Black Sea, hydrogen sulphide can be used for the benefit of mankind. Ignore the emerging problem is impossible. Complexity in its solution will become the most reasonable action. If you do not take the right steps now, in time, a great catastrophe can happen. In our power to prevent it and protect yourself and other living organisms from death.