Marine Pollution And Human Health

This book discusses marine pathogens, pollution, and toxic algal blooms and their impact on coastal ecosystems and human health.

Oceans and Human Health highlights an unprecedented collaboration of environmental scientists, ecologists and physicians working together on this important new discipline, to the benefit of human health and ocean environmental integrity alike. Oceanography, toxicology, natural products chemistry, environmental microbiology, comparative animal physiology, epidemiology and public health are all long established areas of research in their own right and all contribute data and expertise to an integrated understanding of the ways in which ocean biology and chemistry affect human health for better or worse. This book introduces this topic to researchers and advanced students interested in this emerging field, enabling them to see how their research fits into the broader interactions between the aquatic environment and human health. Color illustrations of aquatic life and oceanic phenomena such as hurricanes and algal blooms Numerous case studies Socio-economic and Ethical Analyses place the science in a broader context Study questions for each chapter to assist students and instructors Risks and remedies sections to help define course modules for instruction

This book describes how man-made litter, primarily plastic, has spread into the remotest parts of the oceans and covers all aspects of this pollution problem from the impacts on wildlife and human health to socio-economic and political issues. Marine litter is a prime threat to marine wildlife, habitats and food webs worldwide. The book illustrates how advanced technologies from deep-sea research, microbiology and mathematic modelling as well as classic beach litter counts by volunteers contributed to the broad awareness of marine litter as a problem of global significance. The authors summarise more than five decades of marine litter research, which receives growing attention after the recent discovery of great oceanic garbage patches and the ubiquity of microscopic plastic particles in marine organisms and habitats. In 16 chapters, authors from all over the world have created a universal view on the diverse field of marine litter pollution, the biological impacts, dedicated research activities, and the various national and international legislative efforts to combat this environmental problem. They recommend future research directions necessary for a comprehensive understanding of this environmental issue and the development of efficient management strategies. This book addresses scientists, and it provides a solid knowledge base for policy makers, NGOs, and the broader public.

Ocean Pollution provides a unique look at the effects of estuarine and coastal pollution on resource species. One of the primary objectives of the book is to provide an accurate assessment of the state of the inshore marine environment and its inhabitants. Coastal habitat degradation is discussed, and principal findings from modeling and other research efforts are analyzed and evaluated. The research undertaken thus far extends beyond the effects of pollution on resource population size to disease effects in fish and humans, effects on aquaculture, and effects on productive systems of the oceans. These far-reaching consequences - and potential consequences - of ocean pollution are expertly presented, and suggestions for mitigation are made. Realistic scenarios about the future effects of ocean pollution are outlined, providing a powerful tool for researchers and regulators.

Ocean Pollution provides a unique look at the effects of estuarine and coastal pollution on resource species. One of the primary objectives of the book is to provide an accurate assessment of the state of the inshore marine environment and its inhabitants. Coastal habitat degradation is discussed, and principal findings from modeling and other rese

Plastics last for centuries in the natural environment and are found nearly everywhere on our planet. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year at a rate of about one garbage truck per minute, threatening biodiversity and accumulating in the seafood and in the water as discussed in chapter 1. Chapter 2 will examine the issues of man-made trash that is polluting the oceans, also known as marine debris. This marine debris can range from metals, glass, rubber, paper, textiles, and plastic.

As a society, we use more than 100,000 different industrial compounds to promote health and treat disease, to grow food and to access clean water. While technological developments have improved our lives, most of these compounds end up in our oceans where they threaten marine life and human health. The practice of ocean waste disposal has had a long history and was initially believed to have minimal associated costs. However, it is now clear that although we can use the oceans for cheap waste treatment, we do this at the expense of the other key benefits we derive from the sea, notably human food supplies as well as its aesthetic value (including opportunities for recreation and tourism). Many of the pollution problems of previous decades appear to have been solved in the developed world, or at least managed to minimise their environmental impacts. However, despite treatment being available for some waste products, a potent mixture of toxic compounds and other potentially harmful additions continue to enter the marine environment every day. So, have the problems of marine pollution really been solved or have we simply generated a suite of different and potentially more complex challenges? In this volume we consider marine pollution from the perspective of the historical problems that are now successfully managed or solved, the ongoing problems and the emerging challenges that we face. These include hormone mimics, the residues from pharmaceuticals, nanometre-sized particles added to new materials, the millimetric plastics added to shampoos and cosmetics, the artificial fibres in the clothes we wear, and the noise and light pollution from our expanding industries and cities. Marine Pollution is aimed at senior undergraduates, masters and graduate level students studying marine sciences. It will also serve as a useful reference for researchers and professionals working in the fields of environmental management, marine planning, marine environmental regulation and protection, as well as those working for government departments, environmental NGOs and marine environmental consultancies.

This market leading textbook in marine pollution, now in its fifth edition, gives a clear, balanced account of the materials that are discharged into the sea, what happens to them when they get there, the effect they have on the marine environment, and the threats they present to human health. It is designed as an introductory textbook for marine scientists, but no particular background knowledge is demanded of the reader; it can also be used by engineers, lawyers, economists, or environmentalists who need to be informed about the effects of materials which are deliberately or accidentally discharged into the sea.Many new diagrams, including eight new schemes that present complex processes in visual form so that they are easy to understand and rememberInternational case histories and subject matterA large number of 'up-dates' to reflect changes in the world and new discoveries since the last editionContents:1. What is pollution?Some questionsCategories of additionsNature of inputsSources of inputsDefining pollutionPrioritiesCost of pollution abatementApproaches to pollution controlRestoring damaged environments2. Measuring changeImpact on the individualPopulation changeCommunity response3. Oxygen-demanding wastesOxygen demandThe dilution factorOxygen budgetEstuariesEnrichment and eutrophicationUnexpected consequences of organic dischargesPublic health risksSewage treatmentConsequences of discharges to estuariesConsequences of discharges to seaRegulation4. Oil pollutionInputs What is oil?Fate of spilled oilTreatment of oil at seaBeach cleaningToxicity of petroleum hydrocarbonsEnvironmental impact of oil pollutionImpact of offshore operationsPublic health risk from oil pollutionCommercial damage from oil pollutionContingency planning5. MetalsConservative pollutantsInput routesUptake of metalsMercuryCadmiumCopperLeadTinIronSome other metals6. Halogenated hydrocarbonsLow molecular weight compoundsPesticides and PCBsInputs to the marine environmentFate in the seaBiological effects of halogenated hydrocarbonsEnvironmental effects of halogenated hydrocarbonsThreat to human health7. RadioactivityNature of radioactivityUnitsInputs of radioactivity to the seaEnvironmental impact of radioactivityHazard to human health8. Dredgings, solids, plastics, and heatDredgingIndustrial wastesArtificial reefsLitter and plasticsDrift netsMunitionsHeat9. The state of some seasThe North SeaThe Baltic SeaThe Mediterranean SeaThe CaribbeanThe Caspian SeaFurther readingIndex