A lithium-ion battery fire at the Moss Landing plant has led to alarming levels of toxic heavy metals in the nearby Elkhorn Slough, threatening the local ecosystem. Researchers from San Jose State University's Moss Landing Marine Laboratories discovered nickel, manganese, and cobalt concentrations in the soil that were hundreds to a thousand times above normal. Although no immediate changes in local wildlife behavior have been observed, scientists are vigilantly monitoring potential bioaccumulation effects on species like the fat innkeeper worms and sea otters. The long-term environmental impact remains a significant concern.
Researchers have found unusually high concentrations of toxic heavy metals in surface soils at Elkhorn Slough Reserve in Moss Landing, hundreds to 1,000 times higher than baseline.
Ivano Aiello noted, "I've never measured those metals in such high concentrations... I'm now checking whether the metals are moving through the ecosystem, especially as the tides ebb and flow."
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