| In Britain, the green algae proliferation is associated to the use of synthetic fertilizers in the agricultural exploration, in the excrements of grazing animals and in the residue from industrial creations (such as pigs and birds’ excrements) that are widely spread on the fields. Washed by the rains and transported by the rivers, nitrate and phosphate reach the sea, where they promote the proliferation of the algae – a phenomenon called eutrophication. These algae (Ulva armoricana), also known by the common name sea lettuce, may cause the death of big animals such as boars, horses and even human beings when they decompose. However in this picture they are not a threat because they are in the sea and alive. It is only when they are stranded on the beach that they are a real danger. Actually, this is when they form a thick sludge in which they start to rotten. During the fermentation process the algae produces a toxic gas called hydrogen sulfide (H2S) – which smells like rotten egg. The gas might be lethal after inhaling it for some minutes.
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