BIOL 301 Week 1 Discussion
Why shouldn’t you drink seawater? Use terms: hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic, osmosis, salinity, and the effect the seawater may have on organs and systems.
Although Amy is very thirsty and rapidly starting to dehydrate, there are many reasons as to why drinking the seawater would be a fatal mistake. First, saltwater is considered to be in a hypertonic state. The amount of dissolved salt concentration within seawater is greater than the concentration of salt found within human cells. Since the amount of salt concentration is greater in seawater it makes it difficult for our kidneys to get rid of the excess salt. Our kidneys require freshwater to help dilute and get rid of excess salt. Without consuming freshwater and drinking seawater, Amy could potentially push her kidneys into overdrive and cause them to fail. Additi
onally, drinking seawater would cause Amy to dehydrate even faster by increasing the salinity in her blood, causing water to be drawn out of her cells, transitioning them from an osmosis state to a hypertonic state. Amy’s mistake of drinking seawater would cause dehydration faster in a vulnerable state, she would be better of not drinking the water, and hoping to be rescued in a timely manner.
References:
The effects of salt on your kidneys and how to cleanse them. (2022, August 4). Step To Health. https://steptohealth.com/the-effects-of-salt-on-your-kidneys-and-how-to-cleanse-them/
Hypertonic Seawater. (n.d.). Quinton Medical. https://quintonmedical.com/marine-therapy/drink-seawater/hypertonic-sea-water
Water Q&A: Why can’t people drink seawater? | U.S. geological survey. (2019, June 20). USGS.gov | Science for a changing world. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-qa-why-cant-people-drink-seawater
The human body runs about 0.9% salt. An isotonic solution closely mimics our natural state and does not cause a
fluid shift into or out of the cell. An example is 0.9% normal saline IV solution. Seawater has an average salinity of about 3.5% making it a hypertonic solution compared to the human body (National Weather Service, n.d.). Ingesting seawater will increase sodium levels in the body. There will be a fluid shift through osmosis as the body attempts to balance sodium levels. Water will move out of cells. Amy’s body will already be attempting to conserve its remaining water by inducing reabsorption from her urine to counter dehydration (Sonani et al, 2022). But, as sodium levels increase, her body will try to excrete the excess through her urinary system. As fluids shift to counter sodium levels, it will increase the volume in her vascular spaces. She will continue to expel fluids to balance sodium levels also causing other electrolyte imbalances. She will suffer significant dehydration needing medical treatment to overcome. She may suffer delirium, brain bleeds, and could potentially die (Sonani et al, 2022).
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References
Betts, J., Young, K., Wise, J., Johnson, E., Poe, B., Kruse, D., Korol, O., Johnson, J., Womble, M., & DeSaix, P. (2013). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction
National Weather Service. (n.d.). NWS JetStream – Sea Water. Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/seawater#:%7E:text=In%20sea%20water%20there%20is,of%20high%20and%20low%20salinity.
Sonani, B., Naganathan, S., & Al-Dhahir, M. (2022). StatPearls: Hypernatremia. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441960/
Why shouldn’t you drink seawater? Use terms: hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic, osmosis, salinity, and the effect the seawater may have on organs and systems.
Since seawater has a high salinity or the amount of dissolved sodium in water, it is a hypertonic solution relative to the water in your body, which is hypotonic, causing osmosis in your cells (2013, p. 92-93). Since salt solute cannot pass through the cells osmosis causes water to leave the cells and enter the bloodstream to create a balance of solute to create an isotonic solution(2013, p. 92-93). In addition, the kidney regulates sodium in your bloodstream and does so by releasing water and sodium into your urine(2014). Kidneys are only capable of creating urine that has a lower salinity causing your body to release more water into your urine than what you consumed (2014). This causes dehydration.
References
O. (2013). Anatomy and Physiology by OpenStax (Official Print Version, paperback, B&W) (1st ed.). XanEdu Publishing Inc.
US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (2014, August 1). Can humans drink seawater? NOAA’s National Ocean Service. Retrieved August 23, 2022, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/drinksw.html#:~:text=Human%20kidneys%20can%20only%20make,even%20as%20you%20become%20thirstier.