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4h ago

Acidifying Oceans Corrode Shark Teeth, Peer-Reviewed Study Finds

Using discarded teeth at an extreme future pH, the experiment establishes a chemical baseline for follow-up tests in live sharks.

Blacktip reef sharks in the ocean (L); and a comparison of shark teeth after exposure to water with different pH levels (R).
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A blacktip reef shark at Sea Life Oberhausen, a German aquarium.
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Overview

  • Blacktip reef shark teeth incubated for eight weeks at present-day pH (~8.1–8.2) versus a projected future pH (7.3) showed markedly more corrosion in the acidified water.
  • Researchers documented visible surface cracks, holes, increased root corrosion, and structural degradation in teeth exposed to lower pH.
  • Teeth in acidified conditions showed an average circumference increase of about 0.73 millimeters, indicating rougher, weakened edges rather than growth.
  • About 600 naturally shed teeth were collected from an aquarium; 16 intact teeth were used in the main pH experiment and 36 for before–after circumference measurements.
  • Authors and independent experts note the study used non-living tissue and an extreme long-term scenario, calling for multi-species, in vivo research to determine real-world effects on feeding and fitness.