XV Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2023

The importance of the oceans to humans and the planet.

When assessing the importance of the ocean in the life of humans and the planet as a whole, it is worth noting its impact on humidity, precipitation, and air temperature. Since the ocean constantly interacts with the atmosphere, it forms types of maritime and continental climate. The formation of favorable air masses and mitigation of the northern regions of the planet is due to warm currents. In winter, the waters of the ocean warm all living things, giving up the heat accumulated during the summer. In addition to thermoregulation, the world's oceans are a source of various raw materials. Since ancient times people have consumed fish in large quantities, so the catch of seafood has reached its maximum. Each year about 23 kilograms of fish per capita are taken.

Thus, the world ocean is the source of countless riches for humans, so nowadays the problem of its pollution is acute.

Causes and Sources of Ocean Pollution.

The main sources of anthropogenic pollution are:

1.Land-based sources (account for over 65% of pollution) - discharge of water by thermal and nuclear power plants, discharge of radioactive substances, and dumping of wastes into the sea for burial;

2. atmospheric sources - emissions of substances polluting the atmosphere from industrial enterprises and energy facilities;

3. marine sources - leakages during breakdowns of marine transport.

The ocean is capable of self-purification. It is a complex process in which components of pollution are broken down and incorporated into the overall cycle of substances.

But every day the degree of pollution in the ocean's waters is increasing. And often the self-purification capacity is no longer sufficient to cope with the enormous amount of waste being dumped. Pollution fields most often form

in areas of shipping and oil production, as well as in the coastal waters of major industrial centers. The dirtiest ocean on Earth is the Atlantic Ocean.

Scientists have articulated the main problems posed by garbage dumps in coastal waters and garbage islands in the world's oceans:

1. Plastic gets into marine animals and kills them;

2. Plastic waste nailed to the shore destroys habitat for coastal animals;

3. Plastic debris gets into the blades and steering gear of seagoing vessels and puts them out of action;

4. Plastic utensils do not degrade plastic bottles are an ideal vehicle for dangerous infections and bacteria that can now travel freely through the world's oceans.

Consequences of Pollution in the World's Oceans.

As I wrote above, contaminated water causes many illnesses to humans and marine animals. As a result, populations of flora and fauna are declining, some even dying out. This causes global changes in the ecosystems of all water areas. As a consequence, the waters of the World Ocean are changing. Global climatic conditions disappear, garbage patches form, and temperatures rise considerably, causing global warming.

The consequences of all these processes are disastrous for our planet and hence for us as well. One of the main threats is the gradual reduction of oxygen production, as well as the depletion of ocean resources. There are threats of droughts, tsunamis and floods in various regions. Protecting the world's oceans should be a priority for all of us.

Polluted ocean waters are becoming prerequisites for changes in ecosystems on a global scale. To date, the development of impacts has been pervasive in such directions:

- Species extinction - as a result of the imbalance of the constituent waters and the reduction of the food base of all ocean inhabitants, populations of flora and fauna are disappearing and species diversity is decreasing.

- Reduction of healthy population - humans as a member of the food chain consume contaminated fish and seafood as food. Decreasing quality of marine resources leads to deterioration of health, up to genetic changes.

Changing climate phenomena - due to contamination of waters with hazardous elements, in particular radioactive materials, the global currents and wind systems that are responsible for an even distribution of heat on the planet are changing their behavior.

Ways of solving the problem of ocean pollution.

So today the level of pollution of the waters of the World Ocean has reached enormous proportions. This is the conclusion reached by scientists who study this problem in all countries of the world. So what ways are being developed to clean up and prevent ocean pollution?

Currently scientists from all over the world are looking for ways to save the world's oceans. But, unfortunately, even despite the incredible achievements of modern science, it is still impossible to eliminate some types of radioactive and chemical pollution. The situation is somewhat better with oil pollution.

One of the important problems related to the prevention of ocean water pollution is the problem of recycling plastic products. Plastic products are not known to be naturally degradable.

One of the latest developments to clean up the world's oceans from garbage is the development of a young Dutch inventor Boyan Slat. It took more than four years to develop the project. Slat's system consists of several autonomous platforms floating freely in the ocean and catching debris with flood barriers.

How can we help prevent ocean pollution?

I believe that as global as the problem of ocean pollution is, a lot depends on us.

We all have the power, if not to stop using plastic altogether, then at least to reduce its use:

- choose a paper bag in the store instead of a plastic bag.

- choose paper cups instead of the plastic ones we are accustomed to.

- buy a reusable water bottle, etc.

- keep the coasts and beaches clean.

- do not leave trash on the shore.

- If you see a piece of paper, bottles and other trash near the water, pick it up and take it to the trash garbage cans (whether it is a bottle or a bag of trash - you will do your part and help our planet)

Give preference to organic cleaning products. Sometimes it can even help to save money: you can use simple and non-toxic substances such as baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice at home.

We can only save the world's oceans from pollution by working together.

Conclusion.

Thus, summarizing all of the above information, I have come to the following conclusions:

1. The main sources and causes of pollution of the World Ocean are oil and oil products, pesticides, household waste, heavy metals, and radioactive substances. All of these are the consequences of human economic activity.

2. The main consequences of pollution of the World Ocean are species extinction, reduction of healthy population, climate change, natural disasters, and global warming.

3. During the study I came to the conclusion that everyone has the power to reduce the use of plastic, to keep our coasts and beaches clean, to choose organic cleaning products instead of chemical ones.

People are gradually struggling with the pollution of the World Ocean. More than 60 countries have restricted the use of plastic bags, replacing them with fabric shopping bags.

4. List of used literature:

The Great Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2012

Charles Moore. The book Plastics are Forever.

Electronic resources:

1. The Importance of the World's Oceans https://mirznanii.com/a/308135/znachenie-mirovogo-okeana/

2. Pollution of the World's Oceans https://ecoportal.info/zagryaznenie-mirovogo-okeana/

3. Pollution of the oceans https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Загрязнение

4. https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-42307854

5. Plastic in the world's oceans, ingestion and accumulation https://f-musor.ru/novosti/2019/11/21/plastik-v-mirovom-okeane/

6. https://nauchniestati.ru/bank/primery/referat-na-temu-zagryaznenie-okeana/

7. Pollution of the World Ocean: Causes and Consequences https://vyvoz-org.turbopages.org/s/vyvoz.org/blog/problema-zagryazneniya-mirovogo-okeana/

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