Marine Pollution

MARINE POLLUTION

The undersirable change occurring in the sea is called marine pollution.

 

Causes of Marine pollution:

Marine pollution is caused by the following factors:

1.   Industries pass the effluents into the sea through pipes.

2.   Municipal wastes and garbages are dumped into the sea.

3.   Discarding of old and useless fishing nets from fishing boats and ships into the marine water.

4.   The passengers of ships and the fish farmers throw the plastics into the sea.

5.   The pesticides and fertilizers applied on agricultural fields are washed into the sea by surface run off.

6.   Oil spilling, due to leaks in the oil tanker ships, cause oil pollution.

7.   Oil leaks from oil refineries and pipelines.

8.   Accident of cargo ships carrying toxic substances such as oil, gas, pesticides, fertilizers etc causes marine pollution.

9.   Petrol and oil washed off from the roads cause oil pollution.

10.                     Gulf war created much marine pollution.  During gulf war about 750 oil wells in Kuwait were set of fire.

The undesirable charges in the characteristics of marine water around the gulf countries due to oil in 1991 gulf war is an example of ecoterrorism.

 

Effects of Marine pollution

1.   The rich amount of nutrients in the sewage water facilitate the thick growth of phytoplankton and algae.  It is called eutrophication.

2.   Heavy amount of nutrients bring about the thick growth dinoflagellates causing plankton bloom.  They emit red light in the tides and it is called red tide.  They toxic to fishes.

3.   The thin film of oil on the surfaces of water is called oil slick.  It damages the mangrove plants.

4.   The desalinated drinking water is contaminated with oil.

5.   coral reefs, the gardens of the sea are damaged by oil slick.

6.   The sea birds and sea cows are much affected by oil pollution and die.

 

Control of Marine Pollution

1.   Sewage treatment: It includes a number of steps such as screening sedimentation, decomposition etc.

2.   Large sewage materials can be removed by screening.

3.   Dissolved particles can be removed by sedimentation.

4.   The sewage is allowed to decompose by micro-organisms.

5.   The volatile part of oil can be removed by evaporation.