ASSESSING POTENTIAL OCEAN POLLUTANTS

The thousands of substances that enter the ocean system through industrial, agricultural, or domestic activities have remained largely unexamined, even though many could have potentially harmful effects on the marine environment. This report presents the results of a study to find ways for predicting which materials might have an undersirable environmental impact or jeopardize future ocean resources. The report describes general methods for screening pollutants according to such characteristics as production rate, environmental persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. It then presents case studies that assess the potential effects of transuranic elements, synthetic organic chemicals, metallic wastes, medicinal wastes, and marine litter. In addition to providing general conclusions and recommendations regarding the potential impact of the materials chosen for case studies, the report points out that the methods used to examine these materials can and should be applied systematically to other materials entering the marine system. The information presented in this publication should be useful in extending the information base and technical ability needed to evaluate the effects of man's products and activities on ocean resources.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Academy of Sciences

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20418
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Pagination: 438 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Environmental quality; Habitat (Ecology); Measurement; Monitoring; Oceans; Oil spills; Pollutants; Toxicity; Water quality management
• Old TRIS Terms: Biological monitoring; Marine ecology; Toxic pollutant measurement
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00084453
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ISBN-0-309-02325-4
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 7 1975 12:00AM