PHSY 100 Haney

Troubled Waters

By Brian Haney

Hypothesis

Water pollution is the single greatest threat that the world faces

Definition

Pollution: The action of making an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use by introducing man-made waste (Miriam-Webster)

The effects of ocean pollution

1/3

$13M

10%

Of our oxygen comes from Prochlorococcus

of all shellfish growing waters contaminated (NOAA, n.d.)

Plastic Pollution in the ocean interferes with this photosynthisizing Bacteria (Wright 2019)

Mercury poisoning is becoming more of a problem as more and more runoff pollutes our food sources

The estimated yearly cost of damages done to the ocean biosphere (Macquarie University. 2019)

Watersource polution

1.46million

2Billion

2.5million

Tons of waste in the Yangtze River

People drink water that is comtaminted

Acres of ponds, lakes and resiviors

Have been deemed unsafe because of runoff from agriculture, leading to an excess growth of harful bacteria and vegitation.(Center for American Progress, 2020)

This river is just on of ten rivers that contibute to 90% of ocean pollution, aslo harming the communities that surround it(UNEP. n.d.)

About 2 billion pople drink water contaminated by feces on an anual basis. this leads to many different health concerns. (WHO, 2023)

Long term effects

As pollution in our waterways and oceans increase, many long term concerns arise, such as oxygen depletion from reef damage, chemical contamination of both fresh and salt water sources, and the damaging effects on the wlid life and entire eco system.

Plastics in our water has dramatically increased in the last 20 years, (Vaughn, 2023) and if the upward trend is not adressed it will lead to more destruction.

Bleaching events have in creased from once every 25-30 years in the 1980s to once every 5-6 years in 2010 in most of the choral reefs. (Cho 2011) and choral reefs hold a great majority of oxygen producing plankton.

By the year 2030, 90% of our choral reefs will be in danger of extinction if nothing changes. (Cho, 2011)

© plastic-pollution.org

The amount of pollution in the ocean doubles about every six years. ( Birnbaum, 2023) And will reach 9.6 million metric tons by the year 2035

Just one piece of plastic is enough to kill a sea turle, and aproximately 56% of sea turtles have injested at least one piece of plastic. (CSIRO, n.d.)

In the 1970s, more than two million old tires were dumped in the ocean off Fort Lauderdale. The tires are killing the choral reef wich is home to a multitude of native species. (Russell, 2013)

With millions of tons of plastic already in the ocean, and hundreds of tons every year being dumped, the situation is getting more and more dire as the impacts of waste dumping reach a point of no return.

Why the ocean needs protecting

The ocean greatly impacts our atmosphere

Wether patterns

Oceans

Phytoplankton

About 30% of all carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean each year, (NOAA, 2020) but the added Co2 is raising the temprture of the water.

As the oceans get warmer, the moist warm air rises and the resulting warm air causes severe weather, and if left unchecked, will lead to the warming of the entire atmosphere.

These amazing little creatures produce between 50 and 85% of the earths oxygen (earth and sky, 2015), but polllution is threatening their life cycle

Solutions to Pollution

image from https://theoceancleanup.com/

image from https://raleighnc.gov/

image from https://bpnews.com/

personally resposible

Turning plastic into propane

Support to clean up

Taking a personal and active role in making sure polltants do not reach our water wys is one way everypne can get involved.

A mixture of cobalt and zeolite has proven to effectily break down mixed plastics with no solvents and low carbon emmisions.(JACS Au 2022, )

The Ocean Cleanup has worked since 2013 to remove hundreds of tons of plastis from the ocean and riverways

Summary

With such a large problem as the pollution of our waterways, there are many things that can be done. to say that any one way should be used is just no sufficient to adequately address the issue. Taking personal responsibility is the best way to start. Recycle plastics, use alternative containers whenever possible, and properly recycle oils and chemicals. Next to that woukd be supporting cleanup effoerts like The Ocean Cleanup as they make strides to conquer ocean pollution. Lastly, using propane for fuel and even converting vehicles to burn propane instead of fuel can help encourage the development of technologies that turn waste plastics into propane gas.

Conclusion

Supporting facts

• The amount of pollution in the ocean doubles about every six years.
• Phytoplankton produce between 50 and 85% of the earths oxygen
• About 30% of all carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean each year
• Bleaching events have in creased from once every 25-30 years in the 1980s to once every 5-6 years in 2010 in most of the choral reefs.
• By the year 2030, 90% of our choral reefs will be in danger of extinction if nothing changes

In light of the devastaion that our waterways and oceans are suffering, I maintain that water polluton is the single greatest concern to our environment today.

The good news is that if we all pitch in and do our part we can make a positive impact and reverse harm that has been done.

References

• https://www.americanprogress.org/article/call-action-combating-nonpoint-source-stormwater-pollution/
• https://bpnews.com/sustainability/converting-plastic-propane-its-impact-reducing-plastic-waste

• https://www.csiro.au/en/research/environmental-impacts/sustainability/turtles-and-plastic
• https://www.diveagainstdebris.org/update/rising-levels-plastic-waste-arctic-seafloor-cause-concern
• https://earthsky.org/earth/how-much-do-oceans-add-to-worlds-oxygen/
• http://finalityhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/marine-phytoplankton.jpg
• https://fliesonly.blogspot.com/2013/03/car-tires-dumped-on-ocean-floor.html
• http://www.igniteitgroup.com/marketing/recycleright_campaign.html
• JACS Au 2022, 2, 10, 2259–2268 Publication Date:October 5, 2022 https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.2c0040

• Macquarie University. (2019, May 14). Plastic pollution harms the bacteria that help produce the oxygen we breathe. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 9, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190514081738.htm
• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollution
• Macquarie University. (2019, May 14). Plastic pollution harms the bacteria that help produce the oxygen we breathe. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 9, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190514081738.htm
• Micheal Birnbaum, March 8th 2023, Washingthon post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/03/08/ocean-plastics-pollution-study/
• https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-acidification
• https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution
• Pam Wright May 15th 2019 https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2019-05-15-ocean-plastics-breathing-bacteria
• © plastic-pollution.org
• https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2015/10/17/scuba-divers-photos-show-a-plastic-underworld
• https://raleighnc.gov/

• Renee Cho, Losing our Choral Reefs, June 13th, 2023. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2011/06/13/losing-our-coral-reefs/
• https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/
• https://www.wilderness.org.au/news-events/phytoplankton-an-omen-of-climate-change
• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

• https://worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/ocean-pollution-facts/