Components of water pollution

By : Kristen Henry

Oil SpillsMany different factors affect the turn out of an oil spill. For example the quantity of oil affects greatly, than you must consider the type of oil that was spilled. As crude oil spills happen more often than refined oil spills, and their locations differ from one another.

Crude Oil SpillsCrude oil spills often happen more often than refined, and they tend to be larger in volume. The little amounts of crude oil that don’t dissolve into the air form a sticky layer on the oceans surface, there it decreases the sunlight used for photosynthesis, prevents the free diffusion of gasses, and clogs adult organisms feeding structures. On a good note though crude oil is not as highly toxic as refined, and is biodegradable. Resulting in the fact that most organisms in a crude oil spill recover within five years.

Refined Oil SpillsRefined oil spills are worse than crude in some ways more than others. Though refined oil spills do not happen as often they cause more damage, especially when closer to shore. These spills can lead to the death of organisms’, and environmental damage which leads to reduce species diversity, and fertility. Although shallow water communities are most sensitive to oil spills the bottom organisms are affected as well. Certain components in a refined oil spill will eventually evaporate into the air, leaving heavier tars behind, and because of Nuton’s law of gravity the heavy tar balls fall to the sea floor. They may be assimilated by bottom organisms, or incorporated into sentiments. Because of these high levels of damage some areas take three decades to fully recover.

Statistics on Oil Pollution45% is due to marine transportation32% due to routine loading, discharging, and

flushing of tanker shipsA mere 8% due to natural seepsBetween 150,000 and 450,000 marine birds

killed by routine releases of oil from tankers

Heavy metalsMost people when they think of marine pollution don’t think of metals , but metals play a big part in marine pollution. Metals such as mercury, lead, and copper are some of the best known, these metals are dangerous because they have high quantities of toxins in them that evaporate into the water. Mercury and lead problems can cause brain damage and behavior problems in young, copper on the other hand is being used in some marine anti-fouling paints which all and all is not good. Coal combustion, electric utilities, steel and iron manufacturing, fuel oils, fuel additives, and incineration of urban refuse are the major sources of oceanic and atmospheric contamination by heavy metals. Heavy metal contaminated runoff from the land, rain of pollutants from the air, and fallout from shipwrecks pollute the ocean with dangerous metals.

PlasticPlastic is a large part in marine pollution. Plastic is none biodegradable and therefore effects the oceans for long periods of time. In some cases sea turtles have mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and died from internal blockages, and seals and sea lions starve after being muzzled by six-pack rings or entangled by nets. 100,000 marine mammals and 2 million sea birds die every year after ingesting or being caught in plastic debris that we have carelessly left.

Statistics on plastic Six-pack holders will not decompose for 400

yearsEach square mile of ocean surface off the

North East coast of the U.S. has more than 46,000 pieces of plastic floating

Adding ingredients to plastics that would hasten decomposition would add 5-7% to costs, but this price increase is unacceptable to industries.

SewageSewage sludge, a mixture of organic matter containing viruses and bacteria, synthetic organic chemicals, and toxic metal compounds, is dumped into the ocean. Sewage sludge can combine with oxygen and create produce an oxygen poor environment, in which few animals can survive. During storms sludge will some times wash up on local beaches causing disease out breaks among people, and contaminating shell fish beds.

About Marine PollutionMarine pollution, or pollution of the water is a major issue, it affects the way we live and the environmental heath. When we pollute anywhere whether it be in our yard or land fills roughly about 60% of that pollution ends up in the water. Everything that we do as humans affects the water. For ocean pollution is also affected by air pollution for when we pollute the air the gasses fall to the water after a while resulting into an acid substance. Then it results in dead reef and fish that digest/get coated by this acid substance. So you see we have to stop this madness before all our fish die and all the coral will die off.