hand, programmed research on problems of ocean pollution have also given a tremendous stimulus to marine chemistry and biology.
We should remember that 20 years ago dissolved organic substances that occur naturally in the ocean were practically unknown. Since that time harmful organic substances in ocean water have had to be analyzed and the means as well as deployable
methods to implement them have been available. Not only have harmful substances
been found, but natural substances as well, and in a few years the material for a
chapter on "Dissolved Organic Substances" was at hand for textbooks on oceanography.
Ten years ago, very little was known about the bio-accumulation of trace elements.
Today, we are familiar with a whole catalog of harmful substances that are absorbed
from seawater and accumulated without harmful effects. They are, in part, important
for vitamin syntheses and enzyme maintenance. A new area of research has developed:
to investigate the mechanisms involved in the uptake, storage, and elimination of
trace elements.
Today a discipline "Marine Aerial Chemistry" exists because it was discovered ten
years ago that the atmosphere is a transporting agent for harmful substances. Geochemistry is gaining insight into the fate of harmful substances and in doing so is
expanding our basic knowledge about the conditions for sedimentation in the ocean.
The measurement of the radioactivity of seawater has opened up new avenues for the
investigation of ocean water movements. Toxic gasses like carbon monoxide that are
relevant to the environment are also being produced by ocean vegetation (Junge et al.
1972). Unexpected results often occur during research on questions of ocean pollution: these are often more exciting than those expected when the tests are planned
(Goldberg 1974).
We can hope that the obvious dangers to marine life and the health problems for man
eating seafood and swimming in the sea have been identified. These problems could
be solved with existing technology and at expense which could be paid. Science,
however, has to go one step further, and identify and evaluate small-scale pollution
impacts. Very often it is a difficult task to separate man-made effects from the
natural background, and a much better knowledge of the natural variability of factors in the sea, of physical and chemical interactions at the air-sea interface and at the
border between water and sediment is essential for the progress of science. In fact,
about half of this book devoted to marine pollution questions does not deal with
man-made contaminations, but with stress of natural origin. More knowledge of
trends in atmospheric pollution and of the fate of pollutants in the atmosphere is
necessary for a better evaluation of the continuing threat of chlorinated hydrocarbons
to the marine environment.
What will the next ten years of research on problems of ocean pollution bring? Probably no one is willing to advance a prognosis in view of the numerous still unanswered
questions. We can only hope that the problems of ocean pollution will continue to
present themselves in approximately the way we are able to view them now. Then
they would be largely open to solution - not only locally, but world wide as well.
And the future of life on Earth would not have to be questioned as a product of this
threat. My prognosis is, however, only valid under the condition that reasonable
decisions are made and reasonable measures taken. I am aware of the fact that such
3
We should remember that 20 years ago dissolved organic substances that occur naturally in the ocean were practically unknown. Since that time harmful organic substances in ocean water have had to be analyzed and the means as well as deployable
methods to implement them have been available. Not only have harmful substances
been found, but natural substances as well, and in a few years the material for a
chapter on "Dissolved Organic Substances" was at hand for textbooks on oceanography.
Ten years ago, very little was known about the bio-accumulation of trace elements.
Today, we are familiar with a whole catalog of harmful substances that are absorbed
from seawater and accumulated without harmful effects. They are, in part, important
for vitamin syntheses and enzyme maintenance. A new area of research has developed:
to investigate the mechanisms involved in the uptake, storage, and elimination of
trace elements.
Today a discipline "Marine Aerial Chemistry" exists because it was discovered ten
years ago that the atmosphere is a transporting agent for harmful substances. Geochemistry is gaining insight into the fate of harmful substances and in doing so is
expanding our basic knowledge about the conditions for sedimentation in the ocean.
The measurement of the radioactivity of seawater has opened up new avenues for the
investigation of ocean water movements. Toxic gasses like carbon monoxide that are
relevant to the environment are also being produced by ocean vegetation (Junge et al.
1972). Unexpected results often occur during research on questions of ocean pollution: these are often more exciting than those expected when the tests are planned
(Goldberg 1974).
We can hope that the obvious dangers to marine life and the health problems for man
eating seafood and swimming in the sea have been identified. These problems could
be solved with existing technology and at expense which could be paid. Science,
however, has to go one step further, and identify and evaluate small-scale pollution
impacts. Very often it is a difficult task to separate man-made effects from the
natural background, and a much better knowledge of the natural variability of factors in the sea, of physical and chemical interactions at the air-sea interface and at the
border between water and sediment is essential for the progress of science. In fact,
about half of this book devoted to marine pollution questions does not deal with
man-made contaminations, but with stress of natural origin. More knowledge of
trends in atmospheric pollution and of the fate of pollutants in the atmosphere is
necessary for a better evaluation of the continuing threat of chlorinated hydrocarbons
to the marine environment.
What will the next ten years of research on problems of ocean pollution bring? Probably no one is willing to advance a prognosis in view of the numerous still unanswered
questions. We can only hope that the problems of ocean pollution will continue to
present themselves in approximately the way we are able to view them now. Then
they would be largely open to solution - not only locally, but world wide as well.
And the future of life on Earth would not have to be questioned as a product of this
threat. My prognosis is, however, only valid under the condition that reasonable
decisions are made and reasonable measures taken. I am aware of the fact that such
3