Marine Pollution: Causes, Types, Effects & Prevention

Marine pollution has been an ever-present problem since the advent of large-scale agricultural activity and industrialization. However, significant laws and regulations at an international level to tackle the problem came only in the mid-twentieth century. During United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea in the early 1950s, the various stakeholders come together to deliberate and formulate laws pertaining to marine pollution. Till mid-twentieth century the majority of the scientists maintained that oceans were vast enough to be able to dilute the amount of pollution being drained into them, thus, considering pollution harmless to the marine life.

Causes of Marine Pollution

The marine environment becomes polluted and contaminated through various sources and forms. Major sources of marine pollution are the inflow of chemicals, solid waste, discharge of radioactive elements, industrial and agricultural effluents, man-made sedimentation, oil spills, and many such factors. The majority portion of the marine pollution comes from the land that contributes to 80 percent of the marine pollution, air pollution also carries pesticides from farms and dust into the marine waters. Air and land pollution is a major contributor to the growing marine pollution that is not only hampering the aquatic ecology but also affecting the life on land. The non-point sources like wind-blown debris, agricultural runoff, and dust become the major source of pollution. Apart from these, factors like land runoff, direct discharge, atmospheric pollution, pollution caused by ships, and deep sea mining of natural resources contribute heavily.

Types of Marine Pollution

Eutrophication When there is an excess of chemical nutrients mainly nitrates and phosphates in the water, it leads to eutrophication or nutrient pollution. Eutrophication decreases the level of oxygen, reduces the quality of water, makes the water inhabitable for fish, affects the breeding process within the marine life and increases the primary productivity of the marine ecosystem. Acidification Oceans act as a natural reservoir for absorbing the carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere. But, due to rising level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the oceans across the world are becoming acidic in nature, as a consequence, it leads to acidification of oceans. Researches and scientists have not been able to uncover the potential damage ocean acidification may have on the Earth's atmosphere. But, there is a strong concern that acidification might lead to dissolution of calcium carbonate structures, that can affect the shell formation in shellfish and also the corals. Toxins There are persistent toxins that do not get dissolved or disintegrate with the marine ecosystem rapidly. Toxins such as pesticides, DDT, PCBs, furans, TBT, radioactive waste, phenols, and dioxins get accumulated in the tissue cells of the marine lifeforms and lead to bioaccumulation hampering the life underwater and sometimes leads to a mutation in aquatic life forms. Plastics The ever-growing dependence of human population on plastic has filled the oceans and the land, it consists of 80 percent of the debris found in the oceans. Plastic dumped and found in the oceans are dangerous for the marine life forms and wildlife, as sometimes it strangles and chokes them to death. The rising levels of plastic dumps found in the oceans are suffocating, ingesting, and entangling the life underwater as well as above it.

Effects of Marine Pollution

The contamination of water by excessive nutrients is known as nutrient pollution, a type of water pollution that affects the life under water. When excess nutrients like nitrates or phosphates get dissolved with the water it causes the eutrophication of surface waters, as it stimulates the growth of algae due to excess nutrients. Most of Benthic animals and plankton are either filter feeders or deposit feeders take up the tiny particles that adhere to potentially toxic chemicals. In the ocean food chains, such toxins get concentrated upward. This makes estuaries anoxic as many particles combine chemically depletive of oxygen. When the marine ecosystem absorbs the pesticides, they are incorporated into the food webs of the marine ecosystem. After getting dissolved in the marine food webs, these harmful pesticides causes mutations, and also results in diseases, which can damage the entire food web and cause harm to the humans. When toxic metals are dumped or flown into the oceans through drains, it engulfs within the marine food webs. It affects the biochemistry, reproduction process, can affect the tissue matter These can cause a change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behavior, reproduction, and suppress and alter the marine life's growth. Marine toxins can be transferred to several animals feeding on the fish or fish hydrolysate as a meal, toxins are then transferred to dairy products and meat of these affected land animals.

Steps to Prevent Marine Pollution

Stop using plastic and littering garbage as they not only choke up the drains but also releases into the oceans. Ensure that chemicals mentioned above are not used anywhere near the streams of water and try cutting down on the usage of such chemicals. For farmers, they need to switch from chemical fertilizers and pesticides and move towards the usage of organic farming methods. Use public transport and reduce the carbon footprint by taking small and substantial measures that will not help in reducing the pollution from the environment but will ensure a safe and healthy future for the upcoming generations. Prevent from any oil or chemical spill in the oceans and if in case there is an oil or chemical spill near you volunteer and help in cleaning out the ocean water. Volunteer or initiate beach clean up activities and spread awareness about the same in the nearby vicinity.

Marine Pollution: Causes, Types, Effects & Prevention

Causes of Marine Pollution

Types of Marine Pollution

Effects of Marine Pollution

Steps to Prevent Marine Pollution

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