What negative outcome results from rinsing a Portuguese man-of-war sting with seawater?
Answer
Spreading stinging capsules over a wider skin area
Rinsing with seawater, a commonly suggested but now discredited past protocol, is actively detrimental because seawater is isotonic (having the same osmotic pressure) to the nematocysts. This lack of osmotic difference means the stinging capsules are not neutralized. Instead, the rinse acts as a carrier, physically spreading the intact, venom-loaded capsules across a broader expanse of the victim's skin. This results in a larger surface area being exposed to the venom, thereby increasing the overall quantity of toxins delivered into the tissue compared to leaving the capsules undisturbed until an appropriate deactivating rinse can be applied.
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