"Northern Europe’s seas. Norther Europe’s environment" (0)

 
 
Summary 
  
  
      The  present summary is based on the book "Northern Europe ’s seas. Norther Europe’s 
environment" by Britt Aniansson.   
      Oceans and seas are polluted every day by  different substances that reach the waters from 
different sources on  land  and at the sea. The  author points out  four main problems in the 
marine environment.  
      One of the main problems is the chemical pollution which is caused by  natural or man-
made halogenated compounds, pesticides, dioxins, chlorinated organic materieals and so on. 
These  compounds are causing deformage in marine  animals and are storaged in their  fatty 
tissues. They have also been found   in organisms throughout the world oceans because they 
are dispersed quickly by winds and currents.  
      Another problem that affects the marine life is excess phosphorus and nitrogen flow into 
the sea from towns, factories and  other  man-made sources which cause intense algae  growth . 
Algal blooming consumes large amounts of dissolved oxygen and in areas  with poorer water 
exchange  the oxygen runs out and living  organisms will not survive there .   
      Also, the author points out a problem considering   heavy   metals which increase the water 
toxicity. It is estimated that about half of heavy metal inputs to the  North and  Baltic Seas 
originate as air pollutants. Heavy metals are indestructible and do not break down. When 
they   sink to the bottom  and stay  strapped there, they may become toxic to the organisms in 
the area and also, for people, birds and animals who eat the contaminated water organisms. 
      Last but not least , oil and oil  products are also playing a big  role  in marine pollution.  In 
the authors opinion the most dramatic inputs of oil result  from accidents. Aniansson points out 
that such incidents cause widespread damage because wind and currents carry the oil away  
from the  scene  in a short  term . Oil and oil products that are not completely  insoluble in water 
cause serious damage to birds as the become oiled, making  their plumage usless as thermal 
insulation  and causing hypothermia which leads to death .