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- Introduction
- Oil
- New technologies have reduced oil pollution from ships and platforms.
- Petroleum runoff and recreational vehicle discharge have a major environmental impact.
- Clean-up strategies require careful study.
- The impact of an oil release depends more on its location than its size.
- Nutrient Pollution
- Causes of nutrient pollution are complex and site specific.
- Case Study: Impacts of harmbul algal bloom in Cape Cod
- Research Spotlight: Using satellites to help monitor harmful algal blooms
- Input reduction and effective monitoring are key to fighting nutrient pollution.
- Case Study: Success in Tampa Bay
- Industrial Contaminants
- Nutritious benefits of seafood are jeopardized by concerns about mercury.
- Spotlight: How much fish is safe to eat?
- Advances in science and technology are needed for the management of contaminated sediments.
- Noise
- Not enough is known about noise
in the ocean and its effects on
marine mammals.
- Significant Sources of Human-Generated Ocean Noise
- Conclusions
Introduction
Pollution is the release of undesirable substances
into the environment. Many human activities—industrial production, burning
of fossil fuels, agriculture, and product use, among others—generate pollutants
that can find their way into the ocean. At one time, people thought
that the vastness of the ocean could dilute pollutants enough to eliminate their
impacts. It is now known, however, that some pollutants can significantly alter
marine ecosystems and cause harm—sometimes deadly—to species from the top to
the bottom of the food web.
Pollutants often originate far inland and are transported to the ocean via rivers or
through
the air. Pollutants of particular concern include petroleum, excess nutrients from
fertilizers,
debris, and industrial contaminants. Even noise, from such activities as shipping,
seismic exploration, and sonar, can affect ocean life.
The good news is that through innovative science and technology, regular monitoring,
environmentally-aware policies, and established treatment methods, some of the effects of pollution
can be contained and reduced. Many important action steps have already been taken:
"scrubbers" have been installed on coal power plants to reduce air emissions of pollutants;
microorganisms are being used to break down pollutants in sewage; wetlands and buffer zones
have been created along rivers and streams to absorb excess fertilizers; and oil
dispersants are
being used to treat oil spills.
Despite some successes in reversing hazardous effects of pollution, much work remains to be
done to protect ocean health for future generations.
