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Problems of the oceans and their solutions. Ocean: problems and solutions

Water is the basis of life on Earth, therefore, pollution of the waters of the World Ocean is a global problem, which is very acute today. If humanity does not come to its senses, unforeseen consequences may soon arise.

Global problems of the oceans

No wonder the struggle for the sea was carried out at all times. Whoever owned the water area had trump cards: the ability to trade with distant countries, use unlimited raw materials, extract and sell food. All this is happening now, only the scale of the use of ocean waters has become several times larger. What reasons led to the fact that the ocean became not just a friend of man, but his slave?

Rice. 1. Garbage on the coast

There are three main root causes of the mass consumption of Earth's waters:

Economic aspect and international division of labor;
Demographic aspect;
Ecological aspect.

Let's consider each of them in detail.

Economic aspect

On land, mankind has been extracting minerals for a long time. But this is not enough. The most valuable resources are found in the depths of the sea - this is oil and gas. Over the past 30 years, their production has increased several times. Development also takes place at great depths - there are rare resources, such as deuterium - a type of hydrogen used in the nuclear industry.

Demographic aspect

There are 7 billion people on Earth. It is very difficult for the Earth to feed such a population, and therefore there is pressure on the ocean. The largest countries by fish production:

China - 9.9 million tons
Peru - 8.3 million tons
USA - 4.9 million tons
Japan -4.4 million tons
Russia - 3.1 million tons

Environmental aspect

The problem of using the oceans leads to the depletion of its main function - the filter of human waste. Sea salts aid in the rapid decomposition of most foods.

The ocean is a huge natural regulator that allows you to protect the world from harmful effects. But human activity has led to the fact that the world's water area has become difficult to self-clean. And most of all, this was influenced by the fact that some countries bury some dangerous chemical and atomic reagents in the bowels of the waters. Scientists have proven that some species of deep-seated fish have already disappeared, while others have found it difficult to survive in a changing environment.

Rice. 3. Spilled oil on the surface of the water

The global environmental problem of the oceans is water pollution. Consider the main sources and their share:

Offshore oil and gas production - 35%
Accidents of tankers and cargo ships - 21%
Dirty sewage from cities and rivers - 18%
Radioactive decay products - 10%
Domestic waste - 9%
Deposition of chemical elements with precipitation -7%

Problems of the world ocean and ways to solve them:

Improvement of oil production and transportation technologies.
Reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Development and mass use of ecological fuel.
Establishment of waste processing plants in coastal areas.
Search for resource-saving technologies.

The problem of the World Ocean is the problem of the future of the whole civilization, since its future depends on how intelligently humanity solves them. The solution of these problems requires concerted international measures to coordinate the use of the ocean. In recent years, a number of international agreements have been adopted to limit the pollution of ocean waters. However, its economic problems are so acute that it is necessary to move on to more drastic measures, since the death of the World Ocean will inevitably lead to the death of the entire planet.

In some cases, despite the colossal achievements of modern science, it is currently impossible to eliminate certain types of chemical and radioactive contamination.

Of course, it would be better not to pollute rivers and lakes from the very beginning. And for this, powerful purification facilities are needed, when, in turn, centralization of the sewerage system is necessary. Settling tanks are needed for rainwater collected from the streets. In treatment facilities, sludge is often used, which, after working out, goes to fertilizers - this is stage 2, stage 1 mechanical cleaning, filtering.

3rd stage - chemical cleaning. It is used where the residues of pollution in wastewater discharged from factories and factories are still dangerous for human life and nature. Enterprises, organizations whose activities affect the state of waters are obliged to carry out the protection of fish stocks agreed with the authorities for regulating the use and protection of waters, bodies exercising state sanitary supervision.

Funds for wastewater treatment do not need to be collected directly from all the "pollutants" in proportion to the damage incurred.

The importance of water protection is supported by the “Water Party”, adopted in May 1976 by European countries:

1. There is no life without water. Water is a valuable resource absolutely necessary for a person;
2. The supply of good water is not endless. Therefore, the protection of ecology, where possible, multiplication, is becoming more and more important;
3. By polluting water, a person harms himself and all living organisms;
4. The quality of water must comply with sanitary standards and allow its use;
5. Used water must be returned to water bodies in such a condition that it cannot interfere with its further use for public, individual needs;
6. A significant role in the conservation of water reserves is played by vegetation, especially forests;
7. Water resources need to be considered and registered;
8. The expediency of the use of waters should be regulated by the relevant authorities;
9. Strengthened Scientific research, training of specialists and explanatory work among the population;
10. Each of us is obliged for the good of all to use water sparingly and sensibly;
11. Water management should be based less on administrative and political boundaries than on the natural boundaries of watersheds;
12. Water knows no borders, so international cooperation is needed in its protection and use.

The problem of industrial wastewater treatment and water preparation for technical and household purposes is becoming increasingly important every year. The complexity of treatment is said with an extraordinary variety of impurities in wastewater, the amount and composition of which is constantly changing due to the emergence of new industries and changes in the technology of existing ones. Currently, the method of wastewater treatment with activated sludge is the most versatile and widely used in wastewater treatment. The use of technical oxygen, highly active symbiotic sludge cultures, biochemical oxidation stimulators, various types of improved designs of aeration tanks, aeration equipment and activated sludge separation systems made it possible to increase the productivity of the biological treatment method several times. Significant reserves are also hidden in the field of mass transfer intensification. The problem of biological wastewater treatment is becoming increasingly important for the national economy.

Waste water treatment methods.

Wastewater treatment methods can be divided into mechanical, chemical, physico-chemical and biological. When they are used together, the method of purification and disposal of wastewater is called combined. The use of a particular method in each specific case is determined by the nature of the pollution and the degree of harmfulness of impurities.

Of the physical and chemical ones, it should be noted the method of electropulse disinfection and post-treatment, which completely excludes chlorination. Treated wastewater is also further cleaned using ultrasound and ozone.

The essence of the mechanical method is that up to 60-75% of mechanical impurities are removed from wastewater by settling and filtration.

When using a mechanical method of cleaning, wastewater is released from undissolved suspended solids.

One of the disadvantages of this method is that there is no water purification from dissolved organic contaminants. Therefore, mechanical treatment facilities (settlers, sand traps, gratings and sieves) are most often a preliminary step before biological treatment.

Chemical method. The method of wastewater treatment is based on the use of various reagents that convert dissolved impurities into a solid insoluble state. Further, the precipitation of these substances occurs. But it should not be overlooked that the reagents used are quite expensive, and in addition, it is required to observe their exact dosage. This method is mainly used for industrial wastewater treatment.

It should also be taken into account that neither mechanical nor chemical cleaning methods solve the main issue - waste disposal!

Therefore, the most effective at present is the biological method of wastewater treatment.

Biological wastewater treatment is the result of the functioning of the active sludge - wastewater system, characterized by the presence of a complex multi-level structure. Biological oxidation, which is the basis of this process, is a consequence of the flow large complex interrelated processes of varying complexity: from elemental acts of electron exchange to complex interactions of biocenosis with the environment. The research results show that a characteristic feature of complex multi-species populations, which include activated sludge, is the establishment of dynamic equilibrium in the system, which is achieved by adding a set of relatively small deviations in activity and abundance. certain types one way or another from their average level.

Disinfection of wastewater is carried out in order to destroy the pathogenic microorganisms contained in them and eliminate the risk of contamination of the reservoir with these microbes when treated wastewater is discharged into it.

The most common disinfection method is chlorination. At present, several types of installations are used at small treatment plants for the preparation of dosing solutions containing active chlorine. The first type includes installations for chlorinating water with bleach or powdered hypochlorites. The principle of their operation is reduced to the preparation of a solution of the required concentration and its subsequent supply to water. The second type includes installations that make it possible to obtain disinfecting chlorine products from the feedstock - table salt - directly at the place of consumption. Such installations are electrolyzers intended for the preparation of electrolytic hypochloritanium. The third type includes installations that make it possible to disinfect water by direct electrolysis. This method is reagentless, since disinfecting products are formed due to the electrolytic decomposition of chlorides present in the treated water itself.

The most serious problem of the seas and oceans in our century is oil pollution, the consequences of which are detrimental to all life on Earth.

Methods for cleaning the waters of the World Ocean from oil:

· localization of the site (with the help of floating fences - booms)
· burning in localized areas
· removal with sand treated with a special composition

causing the oil to stick to the sand grains and sink to the bottom.

· absorption of oil by straw, sawdust, emulsions, dispersants, using gypsum
· a range of biological methods

The use of microorganisms that are capable of decomposing hydrocarbons down to carbon dioxide and water.

· the use of special vessels equipped with installations for collecting oil from the sea surface.

Special small vessels have been created, which are delivered by aircraft to the site of tanker accidents. Each such vessel can suck in up to 1.5 thousand liters of oil-water mixture, separating over 90% of the oil and pumping it into special floating tanks, which are then towed to the shore.

· safety standards are provided for in the construction of tankers, in the organization of transportation systems, movement in bays.

But all of them suffer from a drawback - vague language allows private companies to bypass them. There is no one other than the Coast Guard to enforce these laws.

Therefore, in 1954, an international conference was held in London to work out concerted action to protect the marine environment from oil pollution. It adopted a convention defining the obligations of states in this area. Later, in 1958, four more documents were adopted in Geneva: on the high seas, on the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, on the continental shelf, on fishing and the protection of living resources of the sea. These conventions have legally fixed the principles and norms of maritime law. They obligated each country to develop and enforce laws prohibiting the pollution of the marine environment with oil, radio waste and other harmful substances. A conference held in London in 1973 adopted documents on the prevention of pollution from ships. According to the adopted convention, each ship must have a certificate - evidence that the hull, mechanisms and other equipment are in good condition and do not cause damage to the sea. Compliance with certificates is checked by the inspection when entering the port.

Drainage of oily waters from tankers is prohibited; all discharges from them must be pumped out only to onshore reception points. Electrochemical installations have been created for the treatment and disinfection of ship wastewater, including household wastewater. The Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences has developed an emulsion method for cleaning sea tankers, which completely excludes the ingress of oil into the water area. It consists in adding several surfactants (ML preparation) to the wash water, which allows cleaning on the ship itself without discharging contaminated water or oil residues, which can be subsequently regenerated for further use. Up to 300 tons of oil can be washed from each tanker.

In order to prevent oil leaks, the designs of oil tankers are being improved. Many modern tankers have a double bottom. If one of them is damaged, the oil will not spill out, it will be delayed by the second shell.

Ship captains are obliged to record in special logs information about all cargo operations with oil and oil products, note the place and time of delivery or discharge of contaminated sewage from the ship.

For the systematic cleaning of water areas from accidental spills, floating oil skimmers and side barriers are used. Physical and chemical methods are also used to prevent oil from spreading.

A preparation of a foam group has been created, which, when in contact with an oil slick, completely envelops it. After pressing, the foam can be reused as a sorbent. Such drugs are very convenient due to ease of use and low cost, but their mass production has not yet been established. There are also sorbent agents based on vegetable, mineral and synthetic substances. Some of them can collect up to 90% of spilled oil. The main requirement that is presented to them is unsinkability.

After collecting oil by sorbents or mechanical means, a thin film always remains on the surface of the water, which can be removed by spraying chemicals that decompose it. But at the same time, these substances must be biologically safe.

In Japan, a unique technology has been created and tested, with the help of which it is possible to eliminate a giant spot in a short time. Kansai Sange Corporation has released the ASWW reagent, the main component of which is specially treated rice hulls. Sprayed on the surface, the drug absorbs the ejection into itself for half an hour and turns into a thick mass that can be pulled off with a simple net.

The original cleaning method was demonstrated by American scientists in Atlantic Ocean. A ceramic plate is lowered under the oil film to a certain depth. An acoustic record is connected to it. Under the action of vibration, it first accumulates in a thick layer above the place where the plate is installed, and then mixes with water and begins to gush. An electric current applied to the plate sets fire to the fountain, and the oil burns completely.

Owners of water transport facilities, pipelines, floating and other structures on water bodies, timber rafting organizations, as well as other enterprises are obliged to prevent pollution and clogging of water due to loss of oils, wood, chemical, petroleum and other products.

Since 1993, the dumping of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) has been banned, but their number is steadily increasing. Therefore, in order to protect the environment, in the 1990s, projects for the treatment of LRW began to be developed.

In 1996, representatives of Japanese, American and Russian firms signed a contract for the construction of an installation for the processing of liquid radioactive waste accumulated in Far East Russia. The government of Japan allocated 25.2 million dollars for the implementation of the project.

In order to maintain a favorable water regime of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, groundwater and other water bodies, to prevent water erosion of soils, siltation of water bodies, anti-erosion hydraulic engineering measures are taken.

However, despite some success in the search for effective means to eliminate pollution, it is too early to talk about solving the problem. It is impossible to ensure the cleanliness of the seas and oceans only by introducing new methods of cleaning water areas. The central task that all countries need to solve together is the prevention of pollution.

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MINSK BRANCH

STATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION "MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS, STATISTICS AND INFORMATION (MESI)"

discipline: "Environmental management"

Topic: "Environmental problems of the oceans"

Minsk, 2014

Introduction

Water is the most common inorganic compound, the "most important mineral" on Earth. Water is the basis of all life processes, the only source of oxygen in the main driving process on Earth - photosynthesis. Plants are 90% and animals are 75% water. Loss of 10 - 20% of water by a living organism leads to its death. A person dies without water on the eighth day. Aqueous solutions are a necessary condition for the migration of most chemical elements; only in the presence of water do complex reactions occur within organisms. And, finally, water is necessary for many aspects of human economic activity - industry, agriculture, transport. Suffice it to say that almost all geographical discoveries were made by navigators, and the development and settlement of the continents was carried out mainly by waterways. And almost all the largest cities in the world arose on the site of the final points of the river or sea route.

The oceans, being the totality of all the seas and oceans of the Earth, have a huge impact on the life of the planet. A huge mass of ocean water forms the climate of the planet, serves as a source of precipitation. More than half of the oxygen comes from them, and it also regulates the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as it is able to absorb its excess.

At the bottom of the World Ocean there is an accumulation and transformation of a huge mass of mineral and organic substances, therefore the geological and geochemical processes occurring in the oceans and seas have a very strong influence on the entire the earth's crust. At all stages of its development, man was closely connected with the outside world. But since the emergence of a highly industrial society, the dangerous interference of man in nature has increased dramatically.

Resources of the oceans

The oceans are a huge pantry natural resources.

The biological resources of the oceans are diverse. They include animals and plants that live in its waters - fish, mollusks, crustaceans, cetaceans, algae. About 90% of the harvested commercial objects are fish.

The largest part of the world's catch comes from the waters of the temperate and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Of the oceans, the Pacific Ocean provides the largest catch. Of the seas of the World Ocean, the most productive are the Norwegian, Bering, Okhotsk, and Japanese seas.

The biomass of the ocean has 150 thousand species of animals and 10 thousand algae, and its total volume is estimated at 35 billion tons, which may well be enough to feed 30 billion people. Catching 85-90 million tons of fish annually, it accounts for 85% of the used marine products, shellfish, algae, humanity provides about 20% of its needs for animal proteins.

The biological productivity of the World Ocean is especially high in the area of deep water upwelling. One of these upwellings, located off the coast of Peru, provides 15% of the world's fish production, although its area is no more than two hundredths of a percent of the entire surface of the World Ocean.

Algae are being used more and more. Millions of people eat them. Medicines, starch, glue are obtained from algae, paper and fabrics are made. Algae is an excellent livestock feed and a good fertilizer.

The mineral resources of the oceans are solid, liquid and gaseous minerals. Coastal placers contain zirconium, gold, platinum, and diamonds. The bowels of the shelf zone are rich in oil and gas. They account for 90% of all resources obtained from the seabed today. Offshore oil production in the total volume is approximately 1/3. The main oil production areas are the Persian, Mexican, and Guinean Gulfs, the coasts of Venezuela, and the North Sea. There are offshore oil and gas regions in the Bering and Okhotsk Seas. Iron ore (off the coast of Kyushu, in Hudson Bay), coal (Japan, Great Britain), and sulfur (USA) are mined from underwater bowels.

On the shelf and partly on the continental slope of the ocean, there are large deposits of phosphorites that can be used as fertilizers, and the reserves will last for the next few hundred years. the very same interesting view The mineral resources of the World Ocean are the famous ferromanganese nodules, which cover vast underwater plains. Concretions are a kind of "cocktail" of metals: they include copper, cobalt, nickel, titanium, vanadium, but, of course, most of all iron and manganese. Their locations are well known, but the results of industrial development are still very modest.

Biological and mineral resources are exhaustible.

Their uncontrolled use endangered the existence of marine mammals, led to a strong reduction in the number of fish.

Sea water is also a resource of the oceans. It contains about 75 chemical elements. About 1/3 of the world's salt, 60% of magnesium, 90% of bromine and potassium are extracted from the waters of the seas. Also, the wealth of the seas is used for the industrial production of fresh water. The largest producers of fresh water are Kuwait, USA, Japan.

Energy resources are fundamentally available mechanical and thermal energy of the World Ocean, from which tidal energy is mainly used. Projects for the use of wave and current energy are being developed and partially implemented.

The ocean is a giant accumulator and transformer of solar energy, which is converted into the energy of currents, heat and winds.

Energy resources are of great value as renewable and practically inexhaustible. The experience of operating already existing ocean energy systems shows that they do not bring any tangible damage to the ocean.

It, being a pantry of the most diverse resources, is also a free and convenient road that connects continents and islands that are distant from each other. Maritime transport provides almost 80% of transportation between countries, serving the growing global production and exchange.

The oceans can serve as a waste recycler. Due to the chemical and physical effects of its waters and the biological influence of living organisms, it disperses and purifies the bulk of the waste entering it, maintaining the relative balance of the Earth's ecosystems.

For 3000 years, as a result of the water cycle in nature, all the water of the oceans is renewed.

With intensive use of the resources of the World Ocean, it is polluted.

Ecological problems of the oceans

Ocean waters are being rapidly polluted. A huge amount of "dirt" is carried into the ocean from land by rivers and sewage. More than 30% of the ocean surface is covered with an oil film, which is detrimental to plankton. The destruction of plankton, that is, the simplest organisms and crustaceans passively floating in the water, led to a reduction in the food supply for nekton and reduced its quantity, and, consequently, reduced fish production.

The environmental consequences of pollution of the World Ocean are expressed in the following processes and phenomena:

Violation of the stability of ecosystems;

Progressive eutrophication;

The appearance of "red tides";

Accumulation of chemical toxicants in biota;

Decreased biological productivity;

The emergence of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in the marine environment;

Microbiological pollution of coastal areas of the sea.

The industrial use of the World Ocean has led to its colossal pollution, and at present this problem is one of the global problems facing all mankind. Over the past 20 years, ocean pollution has become catastrophic.

Not the last role in this was played by the opinion about the possibilities of the ocean for self-purification.

The most dangerous pollution for the ocean are: pollution by oil and oil products, radioactive substances, industrial and domestic waste, and chemical fertilizers. However, there are also powerful external sources of pollution - atmospheric flows and continental runoff. As a result, today it is possible to state the presence of pollutants not only in areas adjacent to the continents and in areas of intensive navigation, but also in the open parts of the oceans, including the high latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic. It should be noted that the pollution of soil, water or the atmosphere is also ultimately reduced to the pollution of the oceans, since as a result all toxic substances enter it.

The rapid development of engineering and technology has led to the involvement of ocean resources in the economic circulation, and its problems have become global character. There are quite a few of these problems. They are associated with ocean pollution, a decrease in its biological productivity, and the development of mineral and energy resources. The use of the ocean has especially increased in recent years, which has sharply increased the load on it. Intensive economic activity has led to growing water pollution. Particularly detrimental to environmental situation in the oceans, accidents of oil tankers, drilling platforms, discharge of oil-contaminated water from ships. Particularly polluted marginal seas: Northern, Baltic, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf.

According to experts, about 15 million tons of oil enter the World Ocean every year. This is due to the movement of oil tankers. Previously, the practice of flushing the holds of tankers was widely used, as a result of which huge amounts of oil were dumped into the ocean.

Coastal waters are mainly affected due to a large number of sources of pollution, from industrial waste and sewage to heavy maritime traffic. This contributes to the reduction of ocean flora and fauna, and for humans creates a serious danger in the form of numerous diseases.

Oil pollution of the oceans is undoubtedly the most widespread phenomenon. From 2 to 4% of the water surface of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans is constantly covered with an oil slick. Up to 6 million tons of oil hydrocarbons enter sea waters annually. Almost half of this amount is associated with the transportation and development of deposits on the shelf. Continental oil pollution enters the ocean through river runoff.

In the ocean, oil pollution takes many forms. It can cover the surface of the water with a thin film, and in case of spills, the thickness of the oil coating can initially be several centimeters. Over time, an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion is formed. Later, there are lumps of heavy fraction of oil, oil aggregates that are able to float on the surface of the sea for a long time. Various small animals are attached to floating lumps of fuel oil, which fish and baleen whales willingly feed on. Together with them, they swallow oil. Some fish die from this, others are soaked through with oil and become unsuitable for human consumption due to an unpleasant smell and taste. All oil components are toxic to marine organisms. Oil affects the structure of the marine animal community. With oil pollution, the ratio of species changes and their diversity decreases. So, microorganisms that feed on petroleum hydrocarbons develop abundantly, and the biomass of these microorganisms is poisonous to many marine life.

It has been proven that long-term chronic exposure to even small concentrations of oil is very dangerous. At the same time, the primary biological productivity of the sea is gradually decreasing. Oil has another unpleasant side property. Its hydrocarbons are capable of dissolving a number of other pollutants, such as pesticides, heavy metals, which, together with oil, are concentrated in the near-surface layer and poison it even more. The largest amounts of oil are concentrated in a thin near-surface layer of sea water, which plays a particularly important role for various aspects of ocean life. Surface oil films disrupt gas exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean. The processes of dissolution and release of oxygen, carbon dioxide, heat transfer undergo changes, the reflectivity of sea water changes. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, widely used as a means of combating pests in agriculture and forestry, with carriers of infectious diseases, have been entering the World Ocean along with river runoff and through the atmosphere for many decades. DDT (a chemical preparation widely used in the 50-60s of the 20th century for pest control. A very stable compound that can accumulate in environment, pollute it and disrupt the biological balance in nature. Widely banned in the 70s) and its derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls and other stable compounds of this class are now found everywhere in the oceans, including the Arctic and Antarctic. They are easily soluble in fats and therefore accumulate in the organs of fish, mammals, seabirds. Being substances of completely artificial origin, they do not have their "consumers" among microorganisms and therefore almost do not decompose in natural conditions, but only accumulate in the World Ocean. However, they are acutely toxic, affect the hematopoietic system and heredity.

Along with river runoff, heavy metals also enter the ocean, many of which have toxic properties. The total river runoff is 46 thousand km of water per year.

Together with it, up to 2 million tons of lead, up to 20 thousand tons of cadmium and up to 10 thousand tons of mercury enter the World Ocean. Coastal waters and inland seas have the highest pollution levels.

The atmosphere also plays a significant role in the pollution of the oceans. For example, up to 30% of all mercury and 50% of lead entering the ocean annually is transported through the atmosphere. Due to its toxic effect in the marine environment, mercury is of particular danger. Under the influence of microbiological processes, toxic inorganic mercury is converted into much more toxic forms of mercury. Its compounds accumulated in fish or shellfish pose a direct threat to human life and health. Mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic and other heavy metals not only accumulate in marine organisms, thereby poisoning marine food, but also most detrimentally affect the inhabitants of the sea. The accumulation coefficients of toxic metals, i.e., their concentration per unit weight in marine organisms in relation to sea water, vary widely - from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, depending on the nature of the metals and the types of organisms. These coefficients show how harmful substances accumulate in fish, molluscs, crustaceans, plankton and other organisms.

In some countries, under public pressure, laws have been passed prohibiting the discharge of untreated sewage into inland waters - rivers, lakes, etc.

In order not to incur "unnecessary expenses" for the installation of the necessary structures, the monopolies found a convenient way out for themselves. They build diversion channels that carry wastewater directly to the sea, while not sparing the resorts.

Discharge of waste into the sea for the purpose of disposal (dumping).

A terrible threat to all living things, not only in the ocean, but also on land, is posed by atomic tests at sea and the burial of radioactive waste at the depths of the sea.

Many countries with access to the sea carry out marine disposal of various materials and substances, in particular soil excavated during dredging, drill slag, industrial waste, construction waste, solid waste, explosives and chemicals, and radioactive waste. The volume of burials amounted to about 10% of the total mass of pollutants entering the World Ocean.

The basis for dumping in the sea is the ability of the marine environment to process a large amount of organic and inorganic substances without much damage to the water. However, this ability is not unlimited. Therefore, dumping is considered as a forced measure, a temporary tribute to the imperfection of technology by society. in slag industrial productions various organic substances and compounds of heavy metals are present. Household waste contains on average (by weight of dry matter) 32-40% organic matter; 0.56% nitrogen; 0.44% phosphorus; 0.155% zinc; 0.085% lead; 0.001% mercury; 0.001% cadmium.

During the discharge, when the material passes through the water column, part of the pollutants goes into solution, changing the quality of the water, the other is sorbed by suspended particles and goes into bottom sediments.

At the same time, the turbidity of the water increases. The presence of organic substances often leads to the rapid consumption of oxygen in water and often to its complete disappearance, the dissolution of suspensions, the accumulation of metals in dissolved form, and the appearance of hydrogen sulfide.

The presence of a large amount of organic matter creates a stable reducing environment in the soil, in which a special type of interstitial water appears, containing hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and metal ions. Benthic organisms and others are affected to varying degrees by the discharged materials.

The dumping of dumping materials to the bottom and prolonged increased turbidity of water leads to death from suffocation of inactive forms of benthos. In surviving fish, mollusks and crustaceans, the growth rate is reduced due to the deterioration of feeding and breathing conditions. The species composition of a given community often changes.

When organizing a system for monitoring waste discharges into the sea, the definition of dumping areas, the determination of the dynamics of pollution of sea water and bottom sediments is of decisive importance. To identify possible volumes of discharge into the sea, it is necessary to carry out calculations of all pollutants in the composition of the material discharge.

The dumping of waste has led to the mass death of the inhabitants of the ocean. The main sources of water pollution are enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, pulp and paper, and light industries. Wastewater polluted with mineral substances, salts of heavy metals (copper, lead, zinc, nickel, mercury, etc.), arsenic, chlorides, etc. Woodworking and pulp and paper industry. The main source of wastewater generation in the industry is pulp production based on sulphate and sulphite methods of wood pulping and bleaching. As a result of the activities of the oil refining industry, a significant amount of oil products, sulfates, chlorides, nitrogen compounds, phenols, salts of heavy metals, etc. got into the water bodies. Suspended substances, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrates, chlorides, sulfates, total phosphorus, cyanides, cadmium, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, mercury, lead, chromium, zinc, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, alcohols, benzene, formaldehyde, phenols, surfactants, carbamides, pesticides, semi-finished products.

Light industry. The main pollution of water bodies comes from textile production and leather tanning processes.

Wastewater from the textile industry contains: suspended solids, sulfates, chlorides, phosphorus and nitrogen compounds, nitrates, synthetic surfactants, iron, copper, zinc, nickel, chromium, lead, fluorine. Leather industry - nitrogen compounds, phenols, synthetic surfactants, fats and oils, chromium, aluminum, hydrogen sulfide, methanol, phenaldehyde. Domestic wastewater is water from kitchens, toilets, showers, baths, laundries, canteens, hospitals, household premises of industrial enterprises, etc.

Another serious problem threatens the oceans and humanity as a whole. The modern climate model takes into account the interaction of the Earth's heat, clouds and ocean currents. This, of course, does not make it easier to make climate and environmental forecasts, as the range of potential climate threats is becoming ever wider.

Timely receipt of information on water evaporation, cloud formation and the nature of ocean currents makes it possible, using data on the heating of the Earth, to make long-term forecasts of their changes.

An increasing threat is vortex storms - cyclones. But the giant "pumping" system of the World Ocean also threatens to stop its work - a system that depends on low polar temperatures and, like a powerful pump, "pumps" cold deep waters towards the equator. And this means, for example, that in the absence of a cold current, the warm Gulf Stream will gradually stop flowing to the north. Therefore, the paradoxical idea is being seriously discussed that as a result of a strong greenhouse effect with a changed nature of the currents, an ice age will begin again in Europe.

Initially, the ocean will react weakly. However, in places there will be violations of normal processes, as a result of the growing heating of the Earth. These disturbances include frequent typhoons and the El Niño phenomenon - when the deep cold Humboldt current coming from the south comes to the surface off the coast South America, is periodically pushed aside from the coast by the inflow of warm tropical waters. As a result, there is a massive death of marine animals; in addition, moist air masses, leaving the land, cause fatal heavy rains and lead to large economic losses. If you leave everything as before and continue to "push" with incredible strength on the nature around us, we will soon cease to recognize it.

The main reason for the modern degradation of the Earth's natural waters is anthropogenic pollution. Its main sources are:

a) wastewater from industrial enterprises;

b) sewage from municipal services of cities and other settlements;

c) runoff from irrigation systems, surface runoff from fields and other agricultural facilities;

d) atmospheric fallout of pollutants on the surface of water bodies and catchment basins.

In addition, the unorganized runoff of precipitation water ("storm runoff", melt water) pollutes water bodies with a significant part of technogenic terrapollutants.

Anthropogenic pollution of the hydrosphere has now become global in nature and has significantly reduced the available exploitable fresh water resources on the planet.

Thermal pollution of the surface of reservoirs and coastal marine areas occurs as a result of the discharge of heated wastewater from power plants and some industrial production.

The discharge of heated water in many cases causes an increase in water temperature in reservoirs by 6-8 degrees Celsius. The area of heated water spots in coastal areas can reach 30 square meters. km. A more stable temperature stratification prevents water exchange between the surface and bottom layers. The solubility of oxygen decreases, and its consumption increases, since with increasing temperature, the activity of aerobic bacteria that decompose organic matter increases. The species diversity of phytoplankton and the entire flora of algae is increasing.

Radioactive contamination and toxic substances.

The danger that directly threatens human health is also associated with the ability of some toxic substances to remain active for a long time. A number of them, like DDT, mercury, not to mention radioactive substances, can accumulate in marine organisms and be transmitted over long distances through the food chain.

Plants and animals are susceptible to radioactive contamination. In their organisms there is a biological concentration of these substances transmitted to each other through the food chain. Infected small organisms are eaten by larger ones, resulting in dangerous concentrations in the latter. The radioactivity of some planktonic organisms can be 1000 times higher than the radioactivity of water, and some fish, which are one of the highest links in the food chain, even 50 thousand times. The Moscow Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, Outer Space and Under Water stopped the progressive radioactive mass pollution of the World Ocean. However, the sources of this pollution have survived in the form of uranium ore refining and nuclear fuel processing plants, nuclear power plants, and reactors.

The accumulation of nuclear weapons in the World Ocean occurred in different ways. Here are the main ones:

1. Placement in the oceans of nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence located on nuclear submarines;

2. Nuclear reactors used on ships with nuclear power plants, mainly submarines, some of which sank with nuclear fuel on board and nuclear equipment;

3. Use of the World Ocean for transportation of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel;

4. Use of the oceans as a dumping ground for nuclear waste;

5. Testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, especially over the Pacific Ocean, which has become a source of nuclear contamination of both water and land;

6. Underground nuclear weapons tests, such as those recently carried out by France in the South Pacific, endangering fragile Pacific atolls and leading to genuine nuclear contamination of the oceans and the risk of more pollution if the atolls crack as a result of testing or future tectonic activity.

The problems arising from the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the World Ocean can be considered from several positions.

From an environmental point of view, there are problems of nuclear pollution of the oceans affecting the food chain. The biological resources of the seas and oceans ultimately affect humanity, which depends on them.

Now the threat of nuclear contamination of the aquatic environment has somewhat decreased, since nuclear tests have not been carried out at sea since 1980. Moreover, the nuclear powers have committed themselves to accede to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which they promised to conclude by 1996. The signing of the Treaty will be all underground nuclear tests have been stopped.

The release of high-level radioactive waste into the oceans has been reduced since the signing of the 1975 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Waste and Other Materials, but the dumping of low-level radioactive waste authorized by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the disobedience of individual countries are a matter of concern. In the future, it is possible to foresee the problems associated with the fact that radioactive contaminants flooded in canisters or contained in fuel or weapons aboard dead and sunk nuclear submarines will enter sea waters.

The increased use of the oceans for transporting nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel (eg between Japan and France) has greatly increased the risk of contamination. Coastal and island states located along the route of transportation of nuclear materials are at high risk of contamination in the event of maritime disasters. The role of International Law regarding the carriage of hazardous materials by water must be strengthened and its provisions must be strictly observed by the international community in order to prevent catastrophic situations.

Mineral, organic, bacterial and biological pollution of the oceans. Mineral pollution is usually represented by sand, clay particles, particles of ore, slag, mineral salts, solutions of acids, alkalis, etc. Bacterial and biological pollution is associated with various pathogenic organisms, fungi and algae.

Organic pollution is divided by origin into plant and animal. Pollution is caused by the remains of plants, fruits, vegetables and cereals, vegetable oil, etc. Pollution of animal origin is wool processing, fur production, microbiological industry enterprises, etc.).

The removal of organic matter into the ocean is estimated at 300 - 380 million tons/year. Wastewater containing suspensions of organic origin or dissolved organic matter adversely affects the condition of water bodies. When settling, the suspensions flood the bottom and delay the development or completely stop the vital activity of these microorganisms involved in the process of water self-purification. When these sediments rot, harmful compounds and toxic substances, such as hydrogen sulfide, can be formed, which lead to pollution of all water in the river.

A significant amount of organic matter, most of which is not characteristic of natural waters, is discharged into rivers along with industrial and domestic wastewater.

With such an area and volume of the World Ocean, one simply cannot believe that it can be polluted, let alone endangered. Nevertheless, it is so. All natural pollution of the ocean: the runoff of products of destruction of rocks, the removal of organic substances by rivers, the ingress of volcanic ash into the water, etc. - are perfectly balanced by nature itself.

Marine organisms are adapted to such pollution, and, moreover, they cannot live without them. In the complex ecological system of the World Ocean, all substances that enter the water naturally and in appropriate quantities and concentrations are successfully processed without any damage to the inhabitants of the sea, which continues to remain clean all the time.

As a result of the growth of cities and the accumulation of a large number of people in one place, household waste enters the ocean in a concentrated manner and does not have time to be disposed of in the process of self-purification. In addition, industry dumps into the sea (directly through rivers or through the atmosphere) by-products of production - substances that are generally not decomposed by marine organisms. In most cases, they have a harmful effect on the inhabitants of the sea. Many artificial materials (plastics, polyethylene, synthetic fabrics, etc.) have appeared in everyday life, products from which, having served their time, also fall into the ocean, polluting its bottom.

Many people, due to their lack of culture and ignorance, view the ocean as a giant cesspool, throwing overboard everything that they consider unnecessary. Often, marine pollution increases as a result of accidents and accidents with ships or at work, when a large amount of oil or other substances immediately enters the water, the discharge of which was not foreseen.

The construction of ports, industrial enterprises, and even health facilities and hotels on the seashore takes away the most biologically productive zone from the ocean - the littoral (a section of the coast that is flooded sea water at high tide and drained at low tide). In combination with immoderate crafts, this also leads to the impoverishment of life.

Ways to solve the environmental problems of the oceans

In some cases, despite the colossal achievements of modern science, it is currently impossible to eliminate certain types of chemical and radioactive contamination.

Funds for wastewater treatment do not need to be collected directly from all "pollutants" in proportion to the damage incurred.

The importance of water protection is supported by the "Water Party", adopted in May 1976 by European countries:

1. There is no life without water. Water is a valuable resource absolutely necessary for a person;

2. The supply of good water is not endless. Therefore, the protection of ecology, where possible, multiplication, is becoming more and more important;

3. By polluting water, a person harms himself and all living organisms;

4. The quality of water must comply with sanitary standards and allow its use;

5. Used water must be returned to water bodies in such a condition that it cannot interfere with its further use for public, individual needs;

6. A significant role in the conservation of water reserves is played by vegetation, especially forests;

7. Water resources need to be considered and registered;

8. The expediency of the use of waters should be regulated by the relevant authorities;

9. For the protection of water resources, enhanced scientific research, training of specialists and explanatory work among the population are needed;

10. Each of us is obliged for the good of all to use water sparingly and sensibly; ocean pollution waste dumping

11. Water management should be based less on administrative and political boundaries than on the natural boundaries of watersheds;

12. Water knows no borders, so international cooperation is needed in its protection and use.

Waste water treatment methods.

The essence of the mechanical method is that up to 60-75% of mechanical impurities are removed from wastewater by settling and filtration.

When using a mechanical method of cleaning, wastewater is released from undissolved suspended solids.

It should also be taken into account that neither mechanical nor chemical cleaning methods solve the main issue - waste disposal!

Therefore, the most effective at present is the biological method of wastewater treatment.

Biological wastewater treatment is the result of the functioning of the active sludge - wastewater system, characterized by the presence of a complex multi-level structure. Biological oxidation, which forms the basis of this process, is a consequence of a large complex of interrelated processes of varying complexity: from elemental acts of electron exchange to complex interactions of biocenosis with the environment. The research results show that a characteristic feature of complex multi-species populations, which include activated sludge, is the establishment of a dynamic balance in the system, which is achieved by adding a set of relatively small deviations in the activity and abundance of individual species in one direction or another from their average level.

The most serious problem of the seas and oceans in our century is oil pollution, the consequences of which are detrimental to all life on Earth.

Methods for cleaning the waters of the World Ocean from oil:

· localization of the site (with the help of floating fences - booms)

· burning in localized areas

· removal with sand treated with a special composition

causing the oil to stick to the sand grains and sink to the bottom.

· absorption of oil by straw, sawdust, emulsions, dispersants, using gypsum

· a range of biological methods

The use of microorganisms that are capable of decomposing hydrocarbons down to carbon dioxide and water.

· the use of special vessels equipped with installations for collecting oil from the sea surface.

· safety standards are provided for in the construction of tankers, in the organization of transportation systems, movement in bays.

But all of them suffer from a drawback - vague language allows private companies to bypass them. There is no one other than the Coast Guard to enforce these laws.

For the systematic cleaning of water areas from accidental spills, floating oil skimmers and side barriers are used. Physical and chemical methods are also used to prevent oil from spreading.

The original cleaning method was demonstrated by American scientists in the Atlantic Ocean. A ceramic plate is lowered under the oil film to a certain depth. An acoustic record is connected to it. Under the action of vibration, it first accumulates in a thick layer above the place where the plate is installed, and then mixes with water and begins to gush. An electric current applied to the plate sets fire to the fountain, and the oil burns completely.

In 1996, representatives of Japanese, American and Russian firms signed a contract for the creation of a plant for the processing of liquid radioactive waste accumulated in the Russian Far East. The government of Japan allocated 25.2 million dollars for the implementation of the project.

Conclusion

Each person, whether he lives on the seashore or has never seen it, should know that the purity of ocean waters depends on his personal behavior. If all the people of the Earth showed real concern for the ocean, the problem of its pollution would not be so acute now.

Any plastic bag thrown into the sea or packaging from a chocolate bar falls to the bottom and takes away part of their living space from the inhabitants of the sea. Everyone should understand that by pouring a bucket of water left after washing with synthetic detergent into the stream, we not only cloud the water of a clean mountain stream, but contribute to the pollution of the entire oceans.

I believe that everyone should appreciate, respect and love the World Ocean; it is necessary to strive to learn as much as possible about it, then our attitude to this miracle of nature will be conscious and we will stop voluntarily or involuntarily causing damage to it.

Bibliography

1. "World Ocean: International legal regime; Main problems" A.L. Kolodkin, V.N. Gutsulyak, Yu.V. Bobrova "Status" 2010

2. "World Ocean" B.S. Zalogin, Kuzminskaya K.S. "Academy" 2012

3. "Ecology, environment and man" Yu.V. Novikov "Fair-Press" 2005

4. "Ecology" G.V. Stadnitsky, A.I. Rodionov, Moscow "Higher School" 1988

5. "Ecology" A.A. Gorelov, Moscow "Center" 2000

6. "Teaching about the biosphere" O.Z. Eremchenko "Academy" 2006

7. "Biosphere and its resources" ed. A.N. Tyurukanov 1971

8. "Biosphere" Vernadsky V.I. - M., 1967.

9. "Living matter and the biosphere" Vernadsky V.I. - M., 1994

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Legal aspects of using the resources of the ocean

Until the 1970s, it was established that the wealth of the ocean belonged to everyone, and the territorial claims of coastal states could extend no more than three nautical miles. Formally, this law was respected, but in fact many states declared their claims to large maritime territories, up to two hundred nautical miles from the coast. The problem of using the World Ocean has been reduced to how to exploit coastal economic zones as profitably as possible. Many states declared their sovereignty over maritime territories, and the invasion of such was regarded as a violation of the borders. Thus, the problem of the development of the World Ocean, the use of its capabilities, collided with the mercantile interests of individual states.

In 1982, the Conference on the Law of the Sea was convened, which took place under the auspices of the UN. It addressed the main problems of the oceans. As a result of many days of negotiations, it was decided that the ocean is the common heritage of mankind. The states were assigned two hundred miles of coastal economic territories, which these countries had the right to use for economic purposes. Such economic zones occupied about 40 percent of the total area of water expanses. The bottom of the open ocean, its minerals and economic resources were declared common property. To monitor compliance with this provision, a special committee was created to regulate the use of coastal economic zones into which the oceans were divided. The problems that arise from human impact on the marine environment had to be addressed by the governments of these countries. As a result, the principle of free use of the high seas ceased to be used.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance that the World Ocean has in the earth's transport system. Global problems associated with cargo and passenger transportation, were solved through the use of special ships, and the problem of transporting oil and gas - through the construction of pipelines.

Mining is carried out on the shelves of coastal countries, especially intensively developed deposits of gas and oil products. contains many solutions of salts, rare metals and organic compounds. Huge concretions - concentrated reserves of iron and manganese - lie on the ocean floor, deep underwater. The problems are how to get these riches without disturbing ecosystems. Finally, low-cost desalination plants can solve a critical problem. human problems- lack of drinking water. Ocean water is an excellent solvent, which is why the world's oceans work like a huge waste recycling plant. And oceanic ones are already successfully used to generate electricity at the PPP.

Since time immemorial, the ocean has fed people. The extraction of fish and crustaceans, the collection of algae and mollusks are the oldest crafts that arose at the dawn of civilization. Since then, the tools and principles of fishing have not changed much. Only the scale of extraction of living resources has increased significantly.

With all this, such a full-scale use of the resources of the World Ocean significantly affects the state of the marine environment. It is quite possible that an extensive model of economic activity will significantly reduce its ability to self-purify and recycle waste. Therefore, the global problem of using the World Ocean is to carefully exploit everything that it provides to mankind, without worsening its ecological health.

Environmental aspects of using the resources of the ocean

The oceans are a giant generator of oxygen in nature. The main producer of this essential chemical element for life is microscopic blue-green algae. In addition, the ocean is a powerful filter and cesspool that processes and recycles human waste products. The inability of this unique natural mechanism to cope with waste disposal is a real environmental problem. Pollution of the oceans occurs in the vast majority of cases through the fault of man.

The main causes of ocean pollution:

Insufficient purification of industrial and domestic wastewater that enters rivers and seas.
Wastewater entering the oceans from fields and forests. They contain mineral fertilizers that are difficult to decompose in the marine environment.
Dumping - constantly replenished burial places at the bottom of the seas and oceans of various pollutants.
Leaks of fuel and oils from various sea and river vessels.
Repeated accidents of pipelines lying at the bottom.
Garbage and waste arising from the extraction of minerals in the shelf zone and on the seabed.
Sediments containing harmful substances.

If we collect all the pollutants that pose a threat to the oceans, we can highlight the problems described below.

dumping

Dumping is the dumping of waste economic activity man in the oceans. Environmental problems arise due to an overabundance of such waste. The reason why this type of disposal has become common is the fact that sea water has high solvent properties. Waste from the mining and metallurgical industries, household waste, construction debris, radionuclides that arise during the operation of nuclear power plants, chemicals with varying degrees of toxicity are subjected to marine burials.

During the passage of pollution through the water column, a certain percentage of waste dissolves in sea water and changes its chemical composition. Its transparency falls, it acquires an unusual color and smell. The remaining particles of pollution are deposited on the sea or ocean floor. Such deposits lead to the fact that the composition of bottom soils changes, compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia appear. The high content of organic matter in ocean waters leads to an imbalance in oxygen, which leads to a decrease in the number of microorganisms and algae that process these wastes. Many substances form films on the water surface that disrupt gas exchange at the water-air interface. Harmful substances dissolved in water tend to accumulate in the organisms of marine life. Populations of fish, crustaceans and mollusks are declining, and organisms are beginning to change. Therefore, the problem of using the World Ocean is that the properties of the marine environment as a giant utilization mechanism are used inefficiently.

Contamination with radioactive substances

Radionuclides are substances that appear as a result of the operation of nuclear power plants. The oceans have become a warehouse of containers that contain highly radioactive nuclear waste. Substances of the transuranium group remain active for several thousand years. And although highly hazardous waste is packed in sealed containers, the risk of radioactive contamination remains very high. The substance of which the containers are made is constantly exposed to sea water. After some time, the containers leak, and dangerous substances in small quantities, but constantly enter the oceans. The problems of waste reburial are of a global nature: according to statistics, in the 1980s, the deep-sea bottom accepted for storage about 7 thousand tons of harmful substances. Currently, the threat is posed by those wastes that were buried in the waters of the oceans 30-40 years ago.

Contamination with toxic substances

Toxic chemicals include aldrin, dieldrin, varieties of DDT, and other derivatives of chlorine-containing elements. Some regions have high concentrations of arsenic and zinc. The level of pollution of the seas and oceans by detergents is also alarming. Detergents are called surfactants, which are part of household chemicals. Together with river runoff, these compounds enter the World Ocean, where the process of their processing continues for decades. A sad example of high chemical activity is the mass extinction of birds off the coast of Ireland. As it turned out, the reason for this was polychlorinated phenyl compounds, which fell into the sea along with industrial wastewater. Thus, the environmental problems of the oceans have also affected the world of terrestrial inhabitants.

Heavy metal pollution

First of all, it is lead, cadmium, mercury. These metals retain their poisonous properties for centuries. These elements are widely used in heavy industry. Various purification technologies are provided at factories and combines, but, despite this, a significant part of these substances enters the ocean with effluents. Mercury and lead pose the greatest threat to marine organisms. The main ways they get into the ocean are industrial waste, car exhaust, smoke and dust from industrial enterprises. Not all states understand the importance of this problem. The oceans are not able to process heavy metals, and they get into the tissues of fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Since many of the marine life are the objects of fishing, heavy metals and their compounds get into the food of people, which causes serious illnesses that are not always treatable.

Pollution by oil and oil products

Oil is a complex organic carbon compound, a heavy liquid of dark brown color. The greatest environmental problems of the World Ocean are caused by the leakage of oil products. In the eighties, about 16 million tons of them flowed into the ocean. This was 0.23% of world oil production at that time. Most often, the product enters the ocean through leaks from pipelines. The concentration of oil products is high along busy sea routes. This fact is explained by emergency situations that occur on transport ships, the discharge of washing and ballast water from sea ships. Ship captains are responsible for avoiding this situation. After all, there are problems with it. The world's oceans are also polluted by seepage of this product from developed fields - after all, a large number of platforms are located on the shelves and in the open sea. Wastewater carries liquid waste from industrial enterprises into the ocean, in this way about 0.5 million tons of oil per year appears in sea water.

The product dissolves slowly in ocean water. First, it spreads over the surface in a thin layer. The oil film blocks the penetration of sunlight and oxygen into sea water, as a result of which heat transfer deteriorates. In water, the product forms two types of emulsions - "oil in water" and "water in oil". Both emulsions are very resistant to external influences; the spots formed by them move freely across the ocean with the help of sea currents, settle on the bottom in layers and are washed ashore. The destruction of such emulsions or the creation of conditions for their further processing - this is also the solution to the problems of the World Ocean in the context of oil pollution.

thermal pollution

The problem of thermal pollution is less visible. However, over time, a change in the temperature balance of currents and coastal waters disrupts the life cycles of marine life, which is so rich in the oceans. Global warming problems arise from the fact that high-temperature waters are discharged from factories and power plants. Liquid is a natural source of cooling for various technological processes. The thickness of the heated waters disrupts the natural heat exchange in the marine environment, which significantly reduces the level of oxygen in the bottom water layers. As a result, algae and anaerobic bacteria, which are responsible for the processing of organic substances, begin to actively multiply.

Methods for solving the problems of the oceans

Global oil pollution forced a series of meetings with the governments of maritime powers, concerned about how to save the oceans. The problems have become threatening. And in the middle of the twentieth century, a number of laws were adopted establishing responsibility for the safety and cleanliness of the waters of coastal areas. The global problems of the World Ocean were partially solved by the London Conference of 1973. Its decision obligated each ship to have an appropriate international certificate certifying that all machines, equipment and mechanisms are in good condition, and that the ship that crosses the ocean does not harm the environment. The changes also affected the design of vehicles transporting oil. New rules oblige modern tankers to have a double bottom. The discharge of polluted waters from oil tankers was completely prohibited; cleaning of such vessels should be carried out at special port facilities. And recently, scientists have developed a special emulsion that allows you to clean an oil tanker without dumping contaminated water.

And accidental oil spills in the waters can be eliminated with the help of floating oil skimmers and various side barriers.

The global problems of the World Ocean, in particular oil pollution, have attracted the attention of scientists. After all, something needs to be done about it. The elimination of oil slicks in the waters is the main problem of the World Ocean. Ways to solve this problem include both physical and chemical methods. Various foams and other unsinkable substances are already in use, which can collect about 90% of the stain. Subsequently, the material impregnated with oil is collected, the product is squeezed out of it. Layers of such a substance can be used repeatedly, they have a fairly low cost and are very effective in collecting oil from a large area.

Japanese scientists have developed a drug based on rice husks. This substance is sprayed on the area of the oil slick and collects all the oil in a short time. After that, a lump of substance impregnated with the product can be caught with an ordinary fishing net.

An interesting method was developed by American scientists to eliminate such spots in the Atlantic Ocean. A thin ceramic plate with a connected acoustic element is lowered underneath. The latter vibrates, oil accumulates in a thick layer and begins to gush over the ceramic plane. A fountain of oil and dirty water is set on fire with an electric current applied to the plate. In this way the product burns out without causing any harm to the environment.

In 1993, a law was passed banning the dumping of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) into the ocean. Projects for the processing of such waste were developed already in the mid-90s of the last century. But if fresh disposal of LRW is prohibited by law, then the old warehouses of spent radioactive substances, which have been lying on the ocean floor since the mid-1950s, pose a serious problem.

Results

Large-scale pollution has increased the risks of using natural resources that are so rich in the oceans. Problems related to the conservation of natural cycles and ecosystems require quick and correct solutions. The steps taken by scientists and governments of the leading countries of the world show the desire of man to preserve the wealth of the oceans for future generations of people.

In the modern world, human impact on natural cycles is decisive, so any measures that correct anthropogenic processes must be timely and sufficient to preserve the natural environment. A special role in the study of human impact on the ocean is played by constant monitoring based on long-term observations of a living organism called the World Ocean. Environmental problems arising from all types of human impact on the water space are studied by marine ecologists.

All the variety of problems requires the introduction of common principles, common steps that must be taken simultaneously by all interested countries. The best way by which the population of the Earth will be able to solve the environmental problems of the ocean and prevent its further pollution is to prevent the storage of harmful substances in the ocean and the creation of non-waste closed-cycle production. The transformation of hazardous waste into useful resources, fundamentally new production technologies should solve the problems of pollution of the waters of the World Ocean, but it will take more than a dozen years for environmental ideas to come true.

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