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Water World SDZWA science writer Elyan Shor, Ph.D., dives into the depths of water pollution issues, exploring solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable tomorrow.
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lobally, our oceans are becoming increasingly mired with human-derived pollutants such as manufactured chemicals, oil and petroleum, and garbage. The effects of this pollution manifest themselves in numerous forms, many of which we are likely yet to realize and comprehend. But while we may not have a complete understanding of pollution’s reach, of this there is no doubt: marine pollution is a worldwide problem with implications that extend far beyond oceans and their coastlines.
Plastics are among the most notorious marine pollutants. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, approximately eight million tons of plastics
end up in oceans every year. The immediate effects of this discard are readily apparent: the devasting imagery of wildlife ingesting or entangled by plastic trash has
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become all too familiar. But plastic in the ocean is not just physically problematic—it is also chemically problematic. Plastics are formulated with a slew of chemicals that lend them their durable, multifunctional properties. Unfortunately, infusing plastics with such compounds also means that these same chemicals will be released as those plastics break down. And to further exacerbate the issue, plastics break down very slowly: single-use bags take 20 years, and scientists estimate that a disposable bottle will take at least 450 years to decompose. This means that
