Pollution of the World's Oceans

Pollution of the earth's oceans is a major concern for scientists including marine biologists. Some of the causes of the phenomenon of ocean pollution are examined in this article.

Ocean pollution is a major pollution problem faced worldwide. The waters of the earth are getting polluted more and more and many marine species have now gotten listed as endangered. When the seas are polluted, marine life gets directly affected while indirectly affecting human interests. The causes of this phenomenon of ocean pollution are as follows.

Oil Pollution

This is the major cause of pollution of oceans. Fuel or cargo oil leaks from damaged ships. The spilled oil affects the marine life of the oceans, thus harming the environment. The estimate is that up to 7 million gallons oil is accidentally getting spilled into the world's oceans. The oil pollution hampers the growth and habitat of coral reefs. Spilled oil can clog fish gills and can block sunlight that is required for food production by marine plants and phytoplankton.

Toxic Waste

Another important source of pollution is dumping of toxic waste into water. Toxic refuse is poisonous and causes harm not only to the sea animals but also to human beings. Toxic waste like mercury can get consumed by fishes, which are then consumed by humans as seafood. It then leads to food poisoning of those who consumed them. The most harmful waste which is toxic is lead. Toxic waste from mines, industries and farms is getting dumped into the oceans every year.

Garbage Dumping

Sewage, plastic and human wastes get dumped into the ocean, and are called as garbage dumping. It is another major factor causing ocean pollution. Dumping garbage may lead to depletion of the oxygen content in the waters. It then affects marine life, which then affects human interests. Plastic waste dumped into the seas can lead to the death of fish and other marine animals like seals, whales, dolphins, penguins, herrings and sharks due to the suffocation effect.

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is another of the many pollutants of the ocean. This gas harms the corals and the algae that are free-swimming. Noxious fumes emitted by automobiles and cars are the notable source of pollution due to carbon dioxide. The dioxide emitted from these vehicles and other industries gets into the atmosphere causing acid rain.