January 21, 2021

Could Silica Particles Save the Arctic Ice from Melting?

I recently watched a video from @the_zero_waste_teen on Instagram where scientist are testing how effective small specs of silica are at reflecting sun

from the surface of ice. This idea could potentially be a fantastic way to combat the effects from rising temperatures in the Arctic for the short term. These

particles are able to float on the surface of the water but tests have shown so far that a small percentage has sunk. Since silica is an abundantly natural

element on Earth, it shouldn’t have any effects of the animals who accidentally ingest it or to humans. However, there are doubts about negative impact it

could have on the environment. In a BBC article, they discuss how the silica could block light from reaching organisms, such as plankton, that depend on

sunlight. They also bring up the point that, even though the silica many not poison the organisms that consume it, the organism could believe that it is

eating the nutrients it needs to survive when they aren’t. Personally, I was very excited to hear about this new possibility. Even though this idea isn’t a

solution to the melting ice, it would be nice to know that we are starting to do something protect the Arctic ecosystem. However, after more research,

I am becoming more skeptical about these short term solutions. I am always a little skeptical when it comes to humans bringing something into an

environment. One example is when scientists introduced Cane Toads to an ecosystem hoping that it would solve their overpopulation of termites in the

area. However, not only did the toads not help in lowering the termite population, they also began to destroy the ecosystem and kill the native frogs around

them. The Cane Toads began to overpopulate and spread. Even though the silica particles in the Arctic isn’t quite the same circumstance, they both are

an example of humans introducing something into an ecosystem which failed due to human impacts. Even though the supposed benefits outweigh the

disadvantages, that doesn’t mean that the outcome will turn out tho be beneficial. In this case, I hope that, if the silica particles were distributed

throughout the Arctic, they successfully prevent the rapid melting and keep the ecosystem safe.