Oceano Quiz 11
Which of the following is/are responsible for releasing oil into the ocean?
leaks during offshore drilling spills during transport by ship natural seeps purposeful release by humans
responsible for releasing oil into the ocean
leaks during offshore drilling spills during transport by ship natural seeps purposeful release by humans
Petroleum pollution
refers to oil. Oil is a naturally-occurring liquid that is composed of liquid hydrocarbons and other organic compounds that formed from microscopic plants and organisms after they were buried and were exposed to intense heat and pressure for millions of years.
Petroleum pollution
refers to oil. Oil is a naturally-occurring liquid that is composed of liquid hydrocarbons and other organic compounds that formed from microscopic plants and organisms after they were buried and were exposed to intense heat and pressure for millions of years. Underground oil resources are highly valued because we can burn the preserved carbon for energy. Most of this oil is recovered be drilling. Oil is commonly found along continental shelves, which is why we see oil drilling platforms along our coastline (they look like pirate ships on the horizon). The oil is then sent to a refinery via a pipeline or a tanker. During this process, oil is periodically spilled into the ocean. As shown in the pie charts to the left, human sources account for about half of the oil that enters the ocean. The other half derives from natural oil seeps. Of all human sources, 72% comes from petroleum consumption activities, such as individual car and boat owners, non-tank vessels, and runoff from increasingly paved urban areas. Surprisingly, combined petroleum transportation and extraction account for only 28% of all human-caused spilled oil.
What happens after a surface oil spill?
-An oil slick is created. -Photooxidation occurs. -Emulsification occurs.
marine pollution
-Biodegradable food items dumped overboard from a cruise ship -Warmer-than-normal water created by outflow from a coastal power plant -Raw sewage released onto the floor of the deep ocean -Sound from cargo ships traversing the ocean
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the cleanup of oil spills?
-Cleaning up oil spills is expensive -Cleanup efforts can create new hazards -Cleaning up oil spills is difficult.
Where Does Marine Pollution Come From?
sources including marine transportation, ocean mining operations, fishing practices, sewage sludge disposed at sea, large volumes of polluted runoff from land, and increasing use of seawater for human benefit (for example, using seawater as a coolant in coastal power plants). Marine pollution also comes from accidental spills. In fact, it is estimated that about 80% of marine pollution originates on land. These pollutants often have severe deleterious effects on individual organisms and may even affect entire marine ecosystems.
Cigarette Filters (aka Cigarette Butts)
the most common items collected during nation-wide beach cleanups are cigarettes/cigarette filters that have been improperly disposed of. As indicated in the infographic above (right), cigarette butts are poisonous to the environment. Public Service Announcement: Cigarette Filters are not biodegradable! They are made of plastic fibers (cellulose acetate), not paper. When habitually flicked to the curb, they wash into storm drains and pollute our waterways. Within one hour of contact with water, butts leach toxic chemicals such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic. Nationally, 22% of litter collected is cigarette butts. In California, that number is even higher! In California, 34% of litter collected is cigarette butts.
Biomagnification of toxic substances means that __________.
toxic substances become increasingly concentrated in the tissues of organisms in each higher level of the food web
East Pacific Garbage Patch
trash, including plastic, concentrates in the calm centers of each subtropical ocean gyre. In these areas, plastics outnumber marine organisms many times over. The best studied and most extensive concentration of floating trash is the East Pacific Garbage Patch. The area of this garbage patch is twice the size of Texas and contains an estimated 200 million pounds of debris.
Minamata Disease
(1932-1968, Japan) mental impairments caused by methylmercury (CH3Hg)+ poisoning
PolyChlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
(From the EPA) PCBs are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms. The number of chlorine atoms and their location in a PCB molecule determine many of its physical and chemical properties. PCBs belong to a broad family of man-made organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until manufacturing was banned in 1979. They have a range of toxicity and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. Due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications including: Electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment Plasticizers in paints, plastics and rubber products Pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper Other industrial applications PCBs were banned in United States in 1977 after they were found to cause liver cancer and harmful genetic mutations in animals, but PCBs continue to be incidentally produced in manufacturing processes. Additionally, PCBs can still be released into the environment from: Poorly maintained hazardous waste sites that contain PCBs Illegal or improper dumping of PCB wastes Leaks or releases from electrical transformers containing PCBs Disposal of PCB-containing consumer products into municipal or other landfills not designed to handle hazardous waste Burning some wastes in municipal and industrial incinerators
PCB
(Polychlorinated biphenyls) are synthetic chemicals widely used from the 1930s to the 1970s in industrial products such as heat exchange fluids, paints, plastics, and lubricants
PCBs and DDT are Persistent, Biologically-active Chemicals
-PCBs and DDT do not readily break down once in the environment. They can remain for long periods cycling between air, water and soil. PCBs can be carried long distances and have been found in snow and sea water in areas far from where they were released into the environment. As a consequence, they are found all over the world. In general, the lighter the form of PCB, the further it can be transported from the source of contamination. -PCBs and DDT can accumulate in the leaves and above-ground parts of plants and food crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found DDT breakdown products in 60% of heavy cream samples, 42% of kale greens, and 28% of carrots that were tested 40 years after DDT was banned. PCBs and DDT generally enter the ocean through the atmosphere and river runoff. They are initially concentrated in the thin slick of organic chemicals at the ocean surface, and then they gradually sink to the bottom, attached to sinking particles. Contaminated sediment is burrowed into by organisms who absorb or ingest the toxin. PCBs and DDT are thereby taken up into the bodies of small organisms and fish
Based on the World Health Organization's definition of marine pollution, which of the following is/are considered to be a form of marine pollution?
-Raw sewage released onto the floor of the deep ocean -Sound from cargo ships traversing the ocean -Biodegradable food items dumped overboard from a cruise ship -Warmer-than-normal water created by outflow from a coastal power plant
How much oil was released by the Deepwater Horizon spill?
2.4 million gallons per day for more than three months
DDT
A colorless odorless water-insoluble crystalline insecticide that tends to accumulate in ecosystems and has toxic effects on many vertebrates; became the most widely used pesticide from WWII to the 1950's; implicated in illnesses and environmental problem; now banned in the US.
Environmental Bioassay
Range of toxicity of pollutants with a 50% mortality threshold; concentration of pollutants
Harmful Algal Blooms, or HABs.
Algal blooms that are detrimental to marine organisms, humans, and/or the environment are called Harmful Algal Blooms, or HABs. These HABs can make marine life very sick and can even kill them. People who eat contaminated seafood can also get very sick
How Does Sewage Sludge Get Into the Ocean?
Although it is now illegal to dump sewage sludge into the ocean in the United States, it still finds its way into our ocean through many pathways. Sources include leaking septic tanks, cruise ships (who can legally dump raw sewage if they are more than 3 nautical miles from land), overflowing municipal sewers, decaying infrastructure in wastewater treatment plants, sewage treatment facility malfunctions, and spills. April 2018: A private sewer clean-out blockage caused a spill of approximately 2,000 gallons of sewage into the harbor area near Huntington Beach. February 2018: Electrical failure of a diverter valve at an International Boundary and Water Commission wastewater treatment plant in Tijuana caused 560,000 gallons of raw sewage to bypass the station and discharge directly into the ocean, leading to the closure of Imperial Beach in San Diego. August 2017: A 900-gallon sewage spill prompted the closure of a section of Dana Point Harbor. The spill was apparently caused by a blockage in a sewer line. September 2017: A blocked sewer line caused the spill of about 3,600 gallons of sewage into Huntington Harbor. July 2017: 219,000 gallons of raw sewage were released about one mile out into the ocean after a power outage at an Oxnard water treatment plant. June 2017: 7,500 gallons of raw sewage were spilled into The sewage was discharged into Alamitos Bay (near Long Beach) from the east side of the bay. The sources was not determined. May 2017: 1,800 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Santa Ana River, which flows into the ocean between Huntington Beach and Newport beach. The spill was caused by the failure of a sewage lift station on a private property. April 2017: A grease backup in a main pipe led to about 5,000 gallons of sewage flooding into the ocean in Laguna Beach. July 2016: A damaged sewage line spilled a total of about 2.4 million gallons of untreated waste into the Los Angeles River and forced the closure of all beaches in Long Beach and Seal Beach.
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
As mentioned with PCBs and DDT, certain marine organisms concentrate many substances within their tissues that are found in minute concentrations in seawater in a process called bioaccumulation. The same occurs with Mercury. When animals eat other animals, some of these substances (including toxic chemicals) move up food chains and become concentrated in the tissues of larger animals. This process is called biomagnification. Bioaccumulation - organisms concentrate pollutant from seawater Biomagnification - organisms gain more pollutant by eating other contaminated organisms
Non-Point Source Pollution Composed Of
As the pie chart below (left) illustrates, most of the trash collected consists of single-use items: 22% cigarettes/cigarette filters; 13% plastic bags; 13% bottles and cans; 12% cups, plates, plastic utensils, straws and stirrers; 9% bottle caps and lids; 9% food wrappers and containers, and 22% other items. Astoundingly, the United States is the only developed country that does not have a national ban on single-use plastic bags!
Invasive Species
Caulerpa taxifolia One local example of an invasive species is the seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia that is often used as decorative alga in saltwater aquariums. It is suspected that an aquarium owner illegally (and probably unknowingly) dumped the seaweed into a storm drain that allowed the seaweed to spread rapidly into Southern California coastal lagoons. The alga was eradicated because of a successful public awareness campaign and quick action by local authorities. Most invasive species problems are not solved so swiftly.
The pollutant responsible for major declines in the populations of pelicans, ospreys, and other marine birds was __________.
DDT
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT)
DDT was widely used as a pesticide during the 1950s. It was hailed as the wonder-chemical and improved crop production throughout developing countries for several decades. However, its extreme effectiveness as an insecticide and persistence as a toxin in the environment eventually resulted in a host of environmental problems, including devastating effects on marine food chains DDT was banned in the United States in 1972. Some of the first harmful effects of DDT were observed during the 1960s with the rapid decline of bald eagles, pelicans, and osprey. It was discovered that high concentrations of DDT in the fish they had eaten caused the birds to produce eggs with very thin eggshells.
Which of the following marine pollutants will bioaccumulate or biomagnify in the food web?
DDTs Mercury PCBs
Golden Algae: Diatoms and Coccolithophores
Diatoms were introduced in Module 5: Pelagic Biogenous Sediment (Chapter 4), since they are one of the most common organisms that create siliceous ooze on the seafloor when conditions are right (recall that siliceous ooze requires cold surface water that is rich in nutrients for the algae). Coccolithophores were also introduced in Chapter 4 as they are one of the most common organisms that produce calcareous ooze (chalk) on the seafloor as long as they don't fall below the Calcite Compensation Depth (CCD).
Dinoflagellates
Dinoflagellates are also microscopic marine algae, but because their tests are composed of cellulose, they don't accumulate on the ocean floor as sediment. Like diatoms and coccolithophores, ninety percent of all dinoflagellates are marine plankton. Planktonic organisms are those that live in the upper surface waters and float with currents. Some dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, whereas others are non-photosynthetic. The photosynthetic dinoflagellates are second only to diatoms as primary producers in coastal waters.
Red Tides
Dinoflagellates are also responsible for the formation of toxic "red tides" when they grow to such abundance that they turn the ocean water red. The image to the right shows what a red tide looks like. Note that despite the name, red tides have nothing to do with the tide. The causes of such blooms are discussed in the next section.
Clean Water Act of 1972
Establishes and maintains goals and standards for U.S. water quality and purity. It has been amended several times, most prominently in 1987 to increase controls on toxic pollutants, and in 1990, to more effectively address the hazard of oil spills.
Ocean Eutrophication
Eutrophication is enrichment of waters by a previously scarce nutrient that can trigger an overabundance of algae that can lead to an HAB. Human activities are known to contribute to eutrophication through: Fertilizer-laden runoff Increased soil erosion Discharge from aquaculture operations Discharge of nutrient-laden wastewater from sewage treatment plants Eutrophication leads to increasing size and longevity of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), the development of red tides by dinoflagellates, an increased risk for HABs that produce neurotoxins such as PSP and ciguatera, and an increased risk of the formation of "Dead Zones".
By law, storm drains now must divert flow into treatment facilities, not to the ocean as they once did.
FALSE
Plastic as Marine Pollution
Globally, plastics constitute the vast majority of marine debris. About 80% of marine debris comes from land-based sources, and the majority of that is plastics. Plastic has many properties that make it useful to us in many ways, but it is those same properties that make it so dangerous in the marine environment. Plastics are lightweight: they float and concentrate on the ocean surface. Plastics are strong: they entangle marine organisms. Plastics are durable: they don't biodegrade, causing them to last in the marine environment almost indefinitely. Plastics are inexpensive: there are everywhere.
Sewage Sludge a Problem?
In addition to dangerous bacteria and pathogens, sewage sludge contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that include heavy metals like mercury, lead, chromium and copper, persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Recall that PAHs are the same toxic substances that are found in crude oil. These chemicals are known to disrupt immune systems and hormone functions, and cause mutations and cancer, even at low concentrations. These problems affect humans, but also marine life. Additionally, the organic waste in sewage can stimulate the development of dead zones. Dead zones are covered in detail in Section 13.2 of your textbook. Essentially, they are caused by the removal of oxygen in the water. Fish and other marine organisms breath dissolved oxygen, and will die without it. The bacteria that decompose the organic matter use up the dissolved oxygen in seawater. Recent research has uncovered the cause of the mysterious "White Pox Disease" that is decimating Elkhorn coral in the Florida Keys.
Which of the following properties of plastic make it unusually persistent and damaging?
It is durable. It is inexpensive. It is lightweight. It is strong.
Long-term Effects of Oil Spills
Long-term effects of oil spills, such as chronic, delayed, or indirect impacts, are often difficult to document and link to the spill because of the considerable time lag. For example, exposure to even tiny concentrations of the chemicals present in oil can cause harmful biological effects that usually go unnoticed. Scientific studies have shown that fish exposed to PAHs in crude oil exhibited changes in gene expression that are linked to developmental abnormalities, decreased embryo survival, and lower reproductive success that wouldn't be noticed until years later. Another example is from the oil tanker that ran aground in the Galápagos Islands in 2001, spilling roughly 3 million liters (800,000 gallons) of diesel and bunker oil. The oil spread westward and was dispersed by strong currents, so only a few marine animals were immediately killed. Marine iguanas on a nearby island, however, suffered a massive 62% mortality in the year after the accident, due to a small amount of residual oil contamination in the sea.
The Formation of Dead Zones
Marine life needs DO to live. When conditions become hypoxic (low oxygen), shrimp, crabs, fish and other marine life suffocate and die. Hypoxic conditions mean DO is less than 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L), whereas normal levels are about 8 mg/L. In some cases, there is no DO (0 mg/L). (1) fertilizers, sewage, and nutrients from farming flow down rivers and into the ocean (DO is 8 ppm); (2) nutrients stimulate massive algae blooms (DO is 7 ppm); (3) algae die and sink, where bacterial decomposition uses up the oxygen in the water (DO is 4 ppm); (4) the water becomes anoxic (DO is 2 ppm) and kills marine life that cannot flee, such as crabs. If dissolved oxygen falls to 0 ppm, the water becomes anoxic.
Of the following statements, which is/are included in the World Health Organization's definition of marine pollution?
Marine pollution results in or is likely to result in harmful effects to marine life. Marine pollution is human-made. Marine pollution can be a substance or a form of energy.
Of the following statements, which is/are included in the World Health Organization's definition of marine pollution?
Marine pollution results in or is likely to result in harmful effects to marine life. Marine pollution is human-made. Marine pollution can be a substance or a form of energy.
Mercury
Mercury is another chemical that bioaccumulates in the tissues of marine organisms. Burning fossil fuels releases mercury into the atmosphere. It is washed into the oceans through precipitation and runoff. Mercury is converted by bacteria to its toxic form, methylmercury, which diffuses into phytoplankton and is concentrated up the food chain. This concentration up the food chain is called bioaccumulation and will be discussed in more detail shortly.
Microscopic Algae
Microscopic algae are super important to the ocean because, as the base of the food chain, they provide the source of food (directly or indirectly) to 99% of all marine animals.
Nurdles and Microplastics
Nurdles are small pre-production plastic pellets. They can be processed and formed into anything. Unfortunately, they are also spilled into the ocean and washed onto beaches. Microplastics are similar. These are tiny plastic spheres that are used as cleaners or scrubbers in toothpaste, cosmetics, and other products that are washed down drains and into ocean. They are too small to be filtered out in the wastewater treatment process and end up being washed into the ocean. Microplastics are also created when larger pieces of plastic break down.
Wastewater Treatment Plants
One of the most common forms of pollution control in the United States is wastewater treatment. The country has a vast system of collection sewers, pumping stations, and treatment plants. Sewers collect the wastewater from homes, businesses, and many industries, and deliver it to plants for treatment. Most treatment plants were built to clean wastewater for discharge into streams or other receiving waters, or for reuse
Harmful Substances
Petroleum (Oil) Sewage sludge Toxic chemicals (DDT and PCBs) and metals (Mercury) Trash, including metal, food, and plastic Invasive species Excess nutrients (phosphates, nitrates) from fertilizers, human and animal waste
Harmful Energy
Radioactive Materials Warm water discharge by factories using cold ocean water to cool equipment Noise from ships that can interfere with marine mammal echolocation and communication Artificial lights that disorient baby sea turtles who are guided from their nest to the ocean by moonlight
How Does Oil Behave in the Ocean?
Petroleum and methane gas flow upward. Bubbles of methane gas rise to the surface and are released into the atmosphere, with about half of the methane dissolving into the water on its way up through the water column. Oil droplets rise to the surface, while some are biodegraded by bacteria or are dissolved on the way up. Once the oil reaches the surface, it creates an oil slick and spreads outwards in all directions due to the surface tension of water (surface tension was covered in Module 6: The Water Molecule (Chapter 5). Once on the surface, the lighter components of the oil evaporate and are released into the atmosphere. The heavier components form tar balls or coat suspended particles and sink. If the heavy petroleum hydrocarbons sink are deposited on the ocean floor, they may be biodegraded by bacteria. Tar balls can also be carried in ocean currents. If the tar balls crack open, they can release more oil into the surrounding ecosystem. The remaining dispersed oil photo-oxidizes or can mix with water, creating a frothy oily substance called "mousse."
Which of the following statements correctly explain the problems with plastics in the marine environment?
Plastics do not biodegrade. Microbeads bind chemical pollutants like PCBs and DDTs. Drifting plastics can be ingested by animals that mistake them for their natural gelatinous prey. Plastics photodegrade into smaller fragments, ultimately becoming microplastics. Large durable pieces of plastic can entangle marine animals.
point-source pollution
Pollutants discharged from a single identifiable location (e.g., pipes, ditches, channels, sewers, tunnels, containers of various types). originates from a single source (like an oil tanker or municipal wastewater treatment facility
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Prince William Sound
Raw sewage
Raw sewage used to be dumped directly into the ocean. However, concerns surfaced in the 1970s and 1980s about the effects of the raw sewage on marine and coastal ecosystems. The Clean Water Act of 1972 prohibited the dumping of sewage sludge into the ocean after 1981, but the high cost of treating and disposing of sewage on land resulted in extension waivers being granted to many municipalities. After many unfavorable experiences with sewage washing ashore, and observed deleterious effects to coastal ecosystems (described in more detail in Section 11.3), sewage must now be treated in wastewater treatment plants. Sewage sludge must be disposed of on land, and wastewater must be treated before it is released back into the environment.
Which of the following is the best way to limit the amount of pollution found in the marine environment?
Reduce the amount of waste entering the ocean Each individual's choice to reduce the amount of plastic waste they produce will be the biggest impact on the amount of plastic found in the ocean
How is Marine Pollution Studied?
Scientists use environmental bioassays to study the effects of marine pollution. Environmental bioassays are carefully controlled experiments that seek to determine the concentration of a pollutant that negatively affects marine life. The U.S. EPA use environmental bioassays to determine the concentration of a pollutant that causes 50% mortality among specific group of test organisms in a specific amount of time. If the pollutant exceeds a 50% mortality rate, concentration limits are established for the release of the pollutant into coastal waters.
It is still legal to dump raw sewage into the ocean in the United States.
TRUE
Toxins often accumulate and concentrate from organism to organism up marine food chains.
TRUE
Worldwide Dead Zones Are Increasing
The number of dead zones has doubled every decade since the 1960s. Today, more than 500 dead zones exist worldwide. The Gulf of Mexico is the second largest dead zone in the world, after the Baltic Sea. Many dead zones occur where large rivers enter the sea. The map here illustrates the Gulf of Mexico dead zone in 2011. Note the massive drainage area of the Mississippi River. Much of the land that it drains is agricultural, meaning lots of fertilizer-laden runoff is discharged in the Gulf of Mexico here.
Reduce the Plastic in the Ocean
The simplest answer is to use less plastic. You can also recycle the plastic you do use so it can be used to make new products, participate in a beach or river cleanup, support bans on single-use plastic bags (Links to an external site.) (like the one we have in California - GO us!), stop buying bottled water (use refillable bottles), avoid microbeads in the products you buy (these were banned in 2015 (Links to an external site.) but companies have some time to meet the new regulations), spread the word (don't flick your butts!), and support organizations that address plastic pollution such as Heal the Bay (Links to an external site.), Greenpeace (Links to an external site.), Oceanic Society (Links to an external site.), Plastic Pollution Coalition (Links to an external site.), 5 Gyres (Links to an external site.), Algalita (Links to an external site.), and Plastic Soup Foundation (Links to an external site.).
Zooxanthellae
The zooxanthellae (Links to an external site.) that live symbiotically within corals (discussed in Section 15.3) are dinoflagellates! As explored in Section 15.3, zooxanthellae provide most of a coral's energy requirements. In return, the coral provides the zooxanthellae with protection, shelter, nutrients (mostly waste material containing nitrogen and phosphorus) and a constant supply of carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis.
European Green Crab and Tortellini Slug
These invasive species were likely introduced in ballast water of freighters, a common transportation technique for invasive species. I saw the sign below in Morro Bay, California (near Montana do Oro State Park). The European Green Crab and Tortellini Slug are driving out native species in this fragile coastal ecosystem.
Consider a coastal region that repeatedly experiences harmful algal blooms because of fertilizer runoff. A local politician suggests introducing the zebra mussel because they filter feed and will clear the water of the bloom. Why is this an ill-advised proposition from an ecological standpoint?
They have no natural predators and can dramatically alter the ecosystem.
Law of the Sea Treaty
This treaty defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. -The establishment of a uniform exclusive economic zone for a costal nation jurisdiction -Private exploitation of deep-sea mineral sources -the right of free passage for ships on the high seas/straights -the arbitration of disputes
Ocean Dumping
Trash also enters the ocean through ocean dumping. International laws regulate ocean dumping in U.S. waters; however, certain types of trash can legally be dumped in the ocean!
Which of the following actions can be done to help prevent marine pollution?
Use a toothbrush with a replaceable head. Make a conscious effort to purchase items with reduced packaging.
`Algal Blooms
When algae reproduce in great numbers, they can change the color of the water due the photosynthetic pigments within their cells. For this reason, great increases in algae concentrations in the water are called "blooms." Algal blooms occur naturally in areas of upwelling (discussed in Module 9: Upwelling and Downwelling (Section 13.1)). This is because their growth is limited by availability of nutrients, especially nitrate, phosphate, and silicic acid. Human activities are increasing nutrient runoff to oceans, which provides the algae with more nutrients thereby stimulating their growth.
human sources
account for about half of the oil that enters the ocean. The other half derives from natural oil seeps. Of all human sources, 72% comes from petroleum consumption activities, such as individual car and boat owners, non-tank vessels, and runoff from increasingly paved urban areas. Surprisingly, combined petroleum transportation and extraction account for only 28% of all human-caused spilled oil.
pollution
any harmful substance or energy put into the oceans by humans
Marine Pollution
any harmful substance or energy put into the oceans by humans. In other words, nature does not pollute.
Underground oil resources
are highly valued because we can burn the preserved carbon for energy. Most of this oil is recovered be drilling. Oil is commonly found along continental shelves, which is why we see oil drilling platforms along our coastline (they look like pirate ships on the horizon). The oil is then sent to a refinery via a pipeline or a tanker. During this process, oil is periodically spilled into the ocean.
Which two single-use items are the most common types of marine debris found during beach cleanups?
cigarette filters and plastic bags
non-point source pollution
enters the ocean from multiple sources, mainly through urban runoff from storm drains and ocean dumping. Overall, about ~13 billion pounds of litter enters ocean every year.
sewage sludge
gooey, mudlike, mixture of toxic chemicals, infectious agents, settled solids removed from waste water at sewage treatment plants After many unfavorable experiences with sewage washing ashore, and observed deleterious effects to coastal ecosystems (described in more detail in Section 11.3), sewage must now be treated in wastewater treatment plants. Sewage sludge must be disposed of on land, and wastewater must be treated before it is released back into the environment.
Sewage Sludge and Wastewater
he semisolid material after treatment is called treated sewage sludge. The sludge at this point is a mixture of human waste, oil, zinc, copper, lead, silver, mercury, pesticides, and other chemicals. This sludge is put into thickening tanks that allow it to settle. Some solids are made into fertilizers for agricultural use, as they contain nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that plants need to grow. Other solids are disposed of in landfills. The remaining wastewater is collected and is treated to remove phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients, disinfected again with chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet light to remove bacteria, and is then returned to the water supply. All discharge from wastewater treatment plants must meet EPA standards. It is important to note, however, that even with regulation, some discharge from wastewater treatment plants still contain high levels of oil and grease, nutrients, and metals like lead and mercury. The main focus of the treatment is to remove dangerous bacteria, and it is very expensive to purify it completely.
Sewage sludge in the United States contains a mixture of dangerous chemicals that include human waste and __________.
heavy metals
largest human source of oil in the ocean
human sources account for about half of the oil that enters the ocean. The other half derives from natural oil seeps. Of all human sources, 72% comes from petroleum consumption activities, such as individual car and boat owners, non-tank vessels, and runoff from increasingly paved urban areas. Surprisingly, combined petroleum transportation and extraction account for only 28% of all human-caused spilled oil.
Largest oil spill
intentional release during the Persian Gulf War
What is currently the largest oil spill in recorded history?
intentional release during the Persian Gulf War
largest oil spill in recorded history
intentional release during the Persian Gulf War
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)
is a risk when eating shellfish, because shellfish are filter feeders, and dangerous toxins can accumulate in their tissues. The toxin does not hard the shellfish, but is poisonous to humans. Another example of seafood poisoning is Ciguatera, which is caused by eating certain tropical reef fish that biomagnify dinoflagellate toxins within their tissues
The biggest concern with biological pollutants is that they often __________.
lack predators and other natural controls
Drawbacks of Environmental Bioassays:
long-term effects not considered Combined effects not considered, where a specific pollutant might combine with another substance to create a new type of pollutant Effects to test species may not be representative of effects to other organisms Time-consuming and expensive
What form of chemical pollution results in neurological damage that can range from blindness to brain damage to paralysis and even death?
methylmercury
Deepwater Horizon spill caused by
natural gas explosion
What caused the Deepwater Horizon spill?
natural gas explosion
petroleum
oil
According to the World Health Organization definition of marine pollutants, __________ is not a pollutant.
oil from offshore seeps
1989 Exxon Valdez, Prince William Sound
oil spill on Bligh Reef of the south coast of Alaska. As shown in the small inset map, crude oil produced from the North Slope of Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) is carried by pipeline (the red line) to the southern port of Valdez, Alaska, where it is loaded onto supertankers, such as the Exxon Valdez. The ship was only 40 kilometers (25 miles) out of Valdez when the ship smashed into the shallowly submerged rocky outcrop known as Bligh Reef while trying to avoid ice in the main shipping channel. The Exxon Valdez was loaded with a full load of crude oil when it smashed into the rocks. The crash ruptured 8 of the ship's 11 cargo tanks. About 22% of her cargo, almost 44 million liters (about 11.6 million gallons) of oil, spilled into the pristine waters of Prince William Sound, where it subsequently spread into the Gulf of Alaska and fouled over 1775 kilometers (1100 miles) of shoreline. Less than 15% of the spilled oil was recovered. Exxon spent more than $2 billion in cleanup efforts and another $900 million in subsequent years for restoration.
In dead zones resulting from eutrophication, animal life is absent due to the lack of __________.
oxygen
marine pollutants (some)
plastic DDT oil from the tanks of ships mercury from the burning of coal
An example of non-point-source pollution is __________.
plastic debris washed down storm drains