DRINKING SEAWATER - When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt. Drinking seawater can be deadly to humans. Seawater contains salt. While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body. When we consume salt as part of our daily diets, we also drink liquids, which help to dilute the salt and keep it at a healthy level. Living cells do depend on sodium chloride (salt) to maintain the body’s chemical balances and reactions; however, too much sodium can be deadly. To get rid of all the excess salt taken in by drinking seawater, you have to urinate more water than you drank. Eventually, you die of dehydration even as you become thirstier.

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Drinking Seawater 

Can humans drink seawater?

The National Ocean Service

Drinking seawater can be deadly to humans.

Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt.

While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body.

Additionally, when we consume salt as part of our daily diets, we also drink liquids, which help to dilute the salt and keep it at a healthy level.

Living cells do depend on sodium chloride (salt) to maintain the body’s chemical balances and reactions; however, too much sodium can be deadly.

Human kidneys can only make urine that is less salty than salt water.

Therefore, to get rid of all the excess salt taken in by drinking seawater, you have to urinate more water than you drank.

Eventually, you die of dehydration even as you become thirstier.

The National Ocean Service provides data, tools, and services that support coastal economies and their contribution to the national economy.

Our mission is to provide science-based solutions through collaborative partnerships to address evolving economic, environmental, and social pressures on our ocean and coasts.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/drinksw.html

One of the instruments scientists can use to measure salinity is a CTD rosette, which measures the Conductivity (salinity), Temperature, and Depth of the water column.