SEMINAR ONSEMINAR ON MARINE BASED MARINE BASED

SOURCES OF POLLUTIONSOURCES OF POLLUTION

IntroductionIntroduction Sources of marine pollutionSources of marine pollution Direct dischargeDirect discharge Land run off Land run off Ship pollution Ship pollution Atmospheric pollution Atmospheric pollution Deep sea miningDeep sea mining

CONTENTSCONTENTS

Types of pollution Types of pollution Acidification Acidification Eutrophication Eutrophication Plastic debris Plastic debris Toxins Toxins Underwater noiseUnderwater noise

Introduction

• The term 'pollution' describes the occurrence andinputs of wastes and the impact of these wasteson the environment.

• Marine Pollution:“The introduction by man, directly, or indirectly,of substances or energy to the marineenvironment resulting in deleterious effects suchas: hazards to human health, hindrance to marineactivities, impairment of the quality of seawaterfor various uses and reduction of amenities.”

Direct dischargeDirect dischargePollutants enter rivers and sea directly Pollutants enter rivers and sea directly

from urban sewage and industrial from urban sewage and industrial waste discharges, sometimes in the waste discharges, sometimes in the form of hazardous and toxic wastesform of hazardous and toxic wastes

LandLand runoffrunoff SurfaceSurface runoff from farming, as well as runoff from farming, as well as

urban runoff and from the construction of urban runoff and from the construction of roads, buildings, ports, channels, and roads, buildings, ports, channels, and harbours, can carry soil and particles harbours, can carry soil and particles laden with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, laden with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and minerals and minerals

Polluted runoff from roads and highways can Polluted runoff from roads and highways can be a significant source of pollution in be a significant source of pollution in coastal areas coastal areas

Ship pollutionShip pollution

Ships can pollute waterways and oceans in many ways. Ships can pollute waterways and oceans in many ways. Oil enters water from breakdowns on derricks, Oil enters water from breakdowns on derricks, wrecks of oil tankers, accidental spillage, cleaning of wrecks of oil tankers, accidental spillage, cleaning of fuel tanks by merchant and war ships, and also from fuel tanks by merchant and war ships, and also from street cleaning. Discharge of cargo residues from street cleaning. Discharge of cargo residues from bulk carries can pollute ports, waterways and bulk carries can pollute ports, waterways and oceans. Oil spills can have many devastating effects. oceans. Oil spills can have many devastating effects. While being toxic to aquatic life in the surface layers While being toxic to aquatic life in the surface layers and also the coastal flora and fauna. and also the coastal flora and fauna.

Ships also create noise pollution that disturbs natural Ships also create noise pollution that disturbs natural wildlife, and from ballast tanks can spread harmful wildlife, and from ballast tanks can spread harmful algae and other invasive species.algae and other invasive species.

Atmospheric pollutionAtmospheric pollution

Another pathwayAnother pathway of pollution occurs through the of pollution occurs through the atmosphere. Wind blown dust and debris, atmosphere. Wind blown dust and debris, including plastic bags seaward from landfills and including plastic bags seaward from landfills and other areas. Dust can also be attributed to global other areas. Dust can also be attributed to global transport from the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts transport from the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts across Korea, Japan, and Northern Pacific to the across Korea, Japan, and Northern Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands Hawaiian Islands

Climate change is raising ocean temperatures and Climate change is raising ocean temperatures and raising levels of carbon dioxide in the raising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These rising levels of carbon dioxide atmosphere. These rising levels of carbon dioxide are acidifying the oceans.are acidifying the oceans.

Deep sea mining(1,400-3,700 m)Deep sea mining(1,400-3,700 m)All mining operations raise questions about All mining operations raise questions about

environment damages to the surrounding environment damages to the surrounding area. Here in water also the concern is area. Here in water also the concern is about disturbance to the living organisms about disturbance to the living organisms in the area, change in sediment or rock in the area, change in sediment or rock layer of sea floor, change in toxicity of the layer of sea floor, change in toxicity of the water column and food web. Removal water column and food web. Removal parts of the sea floor will disturb the parts of the sea floor will disturb the benthic layer. Permanent disturbance to benthic layer. Permanent disturbance to the habitat of benthic organisms. the habitat of benthic organisms.

Types of pollutionsTypes of pollutions Acidification : Acidification : Dissolving carbon dioxide in sea water increases the Dissolving carbon dioxide in sea water increases the

hydrogen ion concentration in the ocean, and hydrogen ion concentration in the ocean, and thus decreases ocean pH is known as acidification thus decreases ocean pH is known as acidification

The oceans are normally a natural carbon sink, The oceans are normally a natural carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Because the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide Because the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are increasing, the oceans are becoming more are increasing, the oceans are becoming more acidic. The potential consequences of ocean acidic. The potential consequences of ocean acidification are not fully understood, but there acidification are not fully understood, but there are concerns that structures made of calcium are concerns that structures made of calcium carbonate may become vulnerable to dissolution, carbonate may become vulnerable to dissolution, affecting corals and the ability of shellfish to form affecting corals and the ability of shellfish to form shells.shells.

EutrophicationEutrophication - - “The process by which a body “The process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrates. , especially phosphates and nitrates. These typically promote excessive growth of These typically promote excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of available oxygen, organisms deplete the water of available oxygen, causing the death of other organisms, such as causing the death of other organisms, such as fish. Eutrophication is a natural, slow-aging fish. Eutrophication is a natural, slow-aging process for a water body, but human activity process for a water body, but human activity greatly speeds up the process.” greatly speeds up the process.”

Marine debris:Marine debris: Marine debris is mainly discarded human rubbish which floats on, or is Marine debris is mainly discarded human rubbish which floats on, or is

suspended in the ocean. Eighty percent of marine debris is plastics. suspended in the ocean. Eighty percent of marine debris is plastics. The mass of plastics in the oceans may be as high as one hundred The mass of plastics in the oceans may be as high as one hundred million metric tons. Fishing net, usually made of plastic, can be left or million metric tons. Fishing net, usually made of plastic, can be left or lost in the ocean by fishers man. Plastics accumulate because they lost in the ocean by fishers man. Plastics accumulate because they don’t biodegrade in the way many other substances do. They will don’t biodegrade in the way many other substances do. They will photodegrade on exposure to the sun, but they do so properly only photodegrade on exposure to the sun, but they do so properly only under dry conditions, and water inhibits this process. In marine under dry conditions, and water inhibits this process. In marine environments, photo degraded plastic disintegrates into ever smaller environments, photo degraded plastic disintegrates into ever smaller pieces while remaining polymers, even down to the molecular levelpieces while remaining polymers, even down to the molecular level

• A large portion and great danger is non biodegradableplastic

• 46,000 pieces of floating plastic/sq mileof ocean surface off the N.E U.S. coast.

• Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish anddie from internal blockages.

• Seals and sea lions starve after being entangledby nets or muzzled by six-pack rings(decomposition time 400 years).

• Plastic debris kills 100,000 marine mammals and2 million sea birds die annually

Cont..

Toxins Apart from plastics, there are particular problems

with other toxins that do not disintegrate rapidly in the marine environment. Examples of persistent toxins are PCBs, DDT, pesticides, furans, dioxins, phenols and radioactive waste. Heavy metals are metallic chemical elements that have a relatively high density and are toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Examples are mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and cadmium. such toxins can accumulate in the tissues of many species of aquatic life in a process called bioaccumulation.

Conclusion: Marine pollution occurs when harmful or

potentially harmful, effects results from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or spread of invasive organisms.

When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, the quickly become absorbed into marine food webs.

Toxic metals can also be introduced into marine food webs. These can changes to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress growth in marine life.

REFERENCEREFERENCE

Internet Referenceshttp://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/pollution.htmlhttp://www.oceanlink.island.net/ask/pollution.html

, J.L.KUMAR, P.C.SINHA ,1998, MARINE POLLUTION, FOR ANMOL PUBLICATIONS PP.NO 39-69

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