Letter to the Editor: The Potential Impact of the Climate Crisis on Global Iodine Status

The long-standing problem of iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) has been greatly improved in recent times, principally through human intervention through iodization of table salt. However, problems associated with IDDs may persist principally in “risk” groups such as pregnant mothers and their neonates and young women of childbearing age. A topic receiving less attention in terms of iodine and associated thyroidal status is its life cycle in the marine environment, which is the most important source of global iodine supply. A role for iodine assuming increasing importance is the contribution to global warming of gaseous iodine released into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. This can arise from natural volatilization of iodine from seawater or marine algae or from anthropometric ozone (O3−) pollution.