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Biological Implications of Global Marine Pollution

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The Changing Global Environment

Abstract

The living resources of the sea provide a substantial part of the world population with an essential source of animal protein, and the marine environment is a valuable resource for recreational facilities. In some of our estuaries, these resources are endangered at present by marine pollution, which has already limited our harvest of sea food in polluted estuaries. The remaining areas of the sea suitable for marine life must be protected from additional pollution if we are to maintain and increase our harvest of protein from the sea and to retain the amenities of the marine waters for recreational purposes. Critical marine pollutants are identified, and various methods of assessing the impact of these pollutants on marine life are discussed. Although additional research is needed before we can make absolute recommendations for acceptable levels of pollutants in the marine environment, it is also emphasized that we already know enough to recommend limits which appear, on the basis of present available knowledge, to provide assurance of minimal risk of damage to the marine environment. Some examples of these acceptable limiting concentrations are presented.

Contribution No. 2974 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass., 02543, USA

    Bostwick H. Ketchum

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  1. Bostwick H. Ketchum
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., USA

    S. Fred Singer (Professor of Enviromental Sciences and Member of the Center for Advanced Studies) (Professor of Enviromental Sciences and Member of the Center for Advanced Studies)

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© 1975 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-Holland

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Ketchum, B.H. (1975). Biological Implications of Global Marine Pollution. In: Singer, S.F. (eds) The Changing Global Environment. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1729-9_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1729-9_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-277-0402-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-1729-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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