Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction to the marine environment and pollution -- Nutrients -- Marine debris -- Oil and related chemicals -- Metals -- Pesticides and industrial organic chemicals -- Emerging concerns -- Bioaccumulation and biomagnification -- Climate change and ocean acidification -- Biological pollution -- Regulating and reducing pollution

In Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know, Judith Weis covers marine pollution from many different angles, each fascinating in its own right. Beginning with its sources and history, the book describes in detail each common pollutant, why exactly it is harmful, why it may draw controversy, and how we can prevent it from damaging our marine ecosystems. Weis discusses topics like what actually happened with the Exxon Valdez, and why harmful algal blooms are a serious concern. Later chapters discuss pollutants that are only now surfacing as major threats, such as flame retardants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and metal nanoparticles, and explain how these can move up the food chain into human bodies. The book's final sections discuss the effects of climate change and ocean acidification, and how we can produce pollution at the local and global levels. - from book cover