Is the Black Sea clean? Which sea to choose? "Hygienic" rating

In July 2012, a huge number of deaths of dolphins were witnessed, the corpses of which were found on the shores of the Black Sea and in the water. According to zoologist Konstantin Andromonov, this number of deaths is explained by a virus that occurs once every 20 years. He also notes that the mortality rate of marine animals is constantly increasing. Other experts point to water pollution in the sea. Every year there are many cases of poisoning of swimmers. This is usually attributed to problems with food. According to Olga Noskovets, an environmentalist and activist from the city of Sochi, the authorities are simply hiding the truth. The water in the sea is contaminated.

What is the cause of pollution of the Black Sea

The natural structure of the Black Sea is not conducive to the growth and development of fauna and flora in it. Deeper than 150-200 meters sea ​​life missing due to toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.

87 percent of the water in the sea does not contain oxygen. And for last years its number has decreased significantly.

During the first international conference dedicated to the Black and Marmara Seas, which took place in April 2008 in Istanbul, the honorary chairman of the Turmepa civil movement in Turkey noted that over 50 years the number of fish species in the Black Sea has halved.

About 90 percent of pollution comes from industrial and household waste. Most waste enters the sea from the Dnieper, Dniester and Danuba. The main culprit of pollution is Europe, which dumps domestic and industrial waste into Danuba. Sewage discharged into the sea by Turkey causes a lot of harm.

Black Sea Cleanup Project

The European Union organized a project called PERSEUS, main task which is the purification of the waters of the Black and Mediterranean Sea by 2020. Compared to many other seas, the Black and Mediterranean are closed. This represents big problem, because the water cycle in such seas occurs more slowly, which contributes to their faster pollution.

Emptying waste can result in high concentrations of mercury, cadmium, zinc, lead and wastewater. Large quantities of gasoline are dumped into the sea by ships. Pollution occurs as a result of oil production and spillage, oil fields natural gas and minerals.

As a result of overfishing, there is a shortage of fish in the seas. Combined with human activities climate change may lead to irreparable consequences.

The seas play a huge role in people's lives. They generate most of the oxygen that people breathe, regulate the climate, feed, serve as a source of energy and provide the opportunity to relax on their shores.

The goal of the project is to return the seas to a healthy and clean state using scientifically developed methods and the combined efforts of nearby countries European Union and other states.

The most dirty seas in Russia

Unfortunately, in our country it is difficult to find clean sea ​​coast. Human activity does not affect the ecological situation in the best way, and it is the waters of rivers and seas that suffer from this in the first place. Numerous factories located on the banks of rivers discharge waste into water, which subsequently ends up in the sea. Seawater is also often used to dump oil waste from tankers. The most polluted seas in our country are the Azov, Caspian and Black seas. According to satellite monitoring data, numerous oil spills were discovered on them. On the shores of the Caspian Sea, carcasses of seals that died near an oil field are periodically found. The Volga River, which brings the bulk of water to the Caspian Sea, is also noted by ecologists as one of the most dirty rivers. The Sea of ​​Azov does not shine with cleanliness for the same reasons. Extensive film contamination, reaching 17.7 square meters. kilometers were also found on its surface. The situation is further aggravated by the relatively shallow depth of this sea. Due to the fact that the coastal zone is characterized by its shallow waters, at the height of tourist season Epidemics of intestinal diseases may occur. The seas are not only a place for recreation, but also garbage dumps The seas are not only a place for recreation, but also garbage dumps

Natural pollution is also common in the Sea of ​​Azov. So, in 2008, just 150 meters from the coast, hundreds of vacationers could observe a rather interesting phenomenon - the eruption of a mud volcano. The eruption lasted for several days and was so strong that a small mud island formed near the shore. Swimming these days, and even more so, approaching the new island, was strictly prohibited.

How dirty is the Black Sea?

The favorite vacation spot of Russians, the Black Sea, is worth talking about separately. Since the times of the USSR, spend a vacation on Black Sea coast was the dream of many of our compatriots. Sochi, Anapa, Tuapse, Loo and many other coastal cities still happily welcome thousands of vacationers. But is it worth the risk and going on vacation to the shores of the dirtiest sea? According to researchers from the ScanEx company, which conducted research commissioned by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the pollution of the Black Sea is simply off the charts.

The main source of pollution is maritime shipping, especially on the borders of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. In addition, the rate of water exchange, and, accordingly, self-purification of the Black Sea is very low. And at the bottom of the Black Sea there is a huge accumulation of hydrogen sulfide, which periodically rises to the surface. Popularity Black Sea resorts also affects the general situation in these places. And there are often cases when sewage from small hotels and the private sector leads directly into the sea. Therefore, getting sick with some kind of intestinal infection on the Black Sea is considered almost the norm. Sewage from residential buildings is often discharged directly into the Black Sea.

Sewage from residential buildings and hotels is often dumped directly into the Black Sea without any treatment.

In many cities, especially in Sochi, there is a busy construction of new hotels for numerous tourists. But the situation is not far off when it will be possible to go to Sochi without beach holiday but just to look at beautiful city. Already, according to reviews from those who have visited this city, swimming on city beaches is dangerous to health.

Why is the sea dirty in Pattaya?

Of course, one should not assume that dirty seas are found only in Russia. IN Lately Holidays in Thailand, in particular in Pattaya, are very common among our compatriots. Without a doubt, Thailand is very interesting country, and your trip there will be remembered for a long time. Whether these impressions will remain good depends only on you.

In Pattaya, the sea is not sparkling with cleanliness. In Pattaya, the sea is not sparkling with cleanliness. You should know that the sea in Pattaya is considered quite dirty. During stormy and rainy seasons, sea water looks very cloudy due to grains of sand raised by the waves. But this is not what frightens tourists, but the fact that all the marine debris that was previously carried away by the water washes up on the shore. Plastic bottles, cigarette packs, algae, all this makes swimming and just being on the beach very unpleasant. Therefore, those who like to relax in these places are advised to visit the beaches of nearby islands. The dirty sea in Pattaya does not scare away tourists The dirty sea in Pattaya does not scare away tourists

And if you still decide to stay in Pattaya, then you should carefully observe the rules of hygiene. After all local residents they do not particularly care about the cleanliness of the coastal zone, and food and sewage waste here can end up in sea ​​water. Be sure to shower after swimming and try to drink only bottled water.

The dirtiest sea in the world

Well, the Mediterranean is considered the dirtiest sea in the world. About 400 thousand tons are discharged into its waters annually industrial waste and hazardous petroleum products. And man himself does a lot of harm to the purity of this sea.

Just imagine - on every kilometer of the seabed there are about 2000 items related to waste from our activities. Harmful substances, which are released from garbage over time, tend to get into the water and accumulate in the fish we consume. For example, tuna and swordfish may contain mercury, which is dangerous to humans. Therefore, environmentalists do not recommend consuming large quantities seafood from the Mediterranean Sea.

Gulf of Finland Baltic are also considered to be among the most problematic places in terms of pollution. He is surrounded on all sides European countries with a well-developed industry, and waste effluents ultimately end up here. Baltic fish has been found to contain excess mercury, and its consumption is also unsafe for humans.

As you can see, a trip to the sea may not always have a beneficial effect on your body. Carefully study all the information you can find about your proposed vacation spot, and let your vacation leave only pleasant memories!

Ecologists from all over the world are constantly conducting research on sea pollution. They have not yet come to a consensus. But several of the dirtiest seas have been identified, the situation in which, from an environmental point of view, is getting worse every year. Scientists think so.

Why can't it be determined exactly?

Scientists monitor the state of the seas at different points. For example, the same sea can have different degrees of pollution on parts of the coast that are quite distant from each other. This situation is caused by the presence industrial complexes on the shore, the development of ports and the state of recreation areas.

And also sometimes accidents occur on various ships with the release of oil or other substances. This situation can happen both offshore and in the open sea. If an accident occurs, the level of sea pollution increases several times.

Ecologists also monitor the safety of this or that species of underwater inhabitants. If the population of a particular species decreases noticeably in a short period, this indicates a deterioration in the ecological condition of the reservoir.

Mediterranean

This sea is the dirtiest in the world. This conclusion was reached by the majority of scientists from different countries. A particularly deplorable situation is observed off the coast of France, Spain, and Italy in areas where large ports are located.

According to statistics, it merges here various reasons about 400 tons of petroleum products. And also more than 2,000 objects fall to the bottom, which are dropped accidentally or on purpose.

Plastic waste is considered especially dangerous. They long years are stored at the bottom in the same form as they arrived. Thus, the amount of pollution in these places only increases, because plastic does not rot or decompose.

For example, tuna and swordfish accumulate dangerous substances such as mercury. Therefore, it is impossible to catch seafood in such places, much less consume it.

The Gulf of Finland

Which sea is the dirtiest? This question sooner or later arises in the mind of every tourist who is planning a vacation near the water. The Baltic Sea is not clean. This is due to the fact that industrial enterprises of developed countries are located on almost its entire coastline.

The Baltic countries are proud of their standard of living, but it is achieved thanks to the work of a huge number of complexes that are harmful to the environment. All production waste is often dumped into the sea.

According to research by scientists, the levels of mercury and other substances hazardous to human health are simply off the charts in the Baltic Sea. Therefore, eating fish from these regions may also pose a risk to populations from different countries.

Black Sea

This body of water is considered the most popular for recreation in the post-Soviet space. But according to statistics, it is the dirtiest sea in Russia. Many rivers in Europe flow into it and carry in their waters the waste of thousands of industrial enterprises.

The Kerch accident, which occurred in 2007, also affected pollution. The Black Sea has poor water exchange due to the discrepancy between the water intake area and its total surface. Approximate ratio 1:6. Thus, the water exchange rate is extremely low and the self-cleaning ability corresponds to these parameters.

At the bottom of the Black Sea in many places there are deposits of hydrogen sulfide. In the warm season due to high temperatures it rises to the top and further pollution of the water occurs.

Resorts on the Black Sea

Not many tourists know that settlements located in the coastal zone often become the culprits of pollution. In most cases, sewage systems are very outdated, especially in the private sector, and household waste is discharged directly into the sea.

This situation is especially acute off the coast of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. Every year, environmentalists in these regions observe a worsening of the situation and note that soon swimming at local resorts will simply be dangerous.

Caspian

Where is the dirtiest sea? This question is quite difficult to answer, because the rapid development of industry contributes to the pollution of almost all water bodies in the world. But the Caspian Sea occupies a leading position in the ranking being discussed.

This body of water has no connection with any ocean. But the oil industry is active here. Therefore, one very serious accident at such an enterprise will be enough and the Caspian mine will turn into “dead”.

Already now, due to waste emissions, not only underwater inhabitants are suffering, but also birds that actively nest on the shores of this sea. Ecologists have long been sounding the alarm about this and note that some species are disappearing at a tremendous rate.

South China

Which sea is the dirtiest in the world? In the Southern Hemisphere, the leader in this ranking is Ono, which is gradually turning into a “sinkhole.” This is due to the lightning-fast development of industry in China.

Also, the very large population in Asian countries does not allow treatment systems to cope, and often household and sewage waste is directly discharged into the water.

A large number of ports that do not meet environmental standards welcome ships from all over the world. Frequently, oil products and other hazardous substances are released from ships.

This situation is also observed due to the rapid development of tourism business in these regions. Guests are attracted low prices for a holiday on the local coasts. Vacationers do not always monitor cleanliness and leave heaps of garbage on the beaches.

Local residents “don’t bother” and dump this waste directly into the water. Probably almost no one worries about the environment in these regions.

Environmentalists believe that the main problem of sea pollution is industry and tourists. They note that few countries monitor waste emissions from businesses. And also, according to scientists’ calculations, ordinary plastic bottles and plastic bags.

These materials have been at the bottom for hundreds of years and cannot be broken down. Thus, in a few decades, the bottom of the seas will simply be strewn with them. Every tourist, leaving garbage behind him on the shore or throwing it into the sea, should think about the fact that his children or grandchildren will soon have nowhere to rest and swim.

And governments of all countries should worry about cleaning systems in enterprises and strictly monitor compliance with environmental rules through legislation. Resort areas must worry about the future of their development and overhaul their sewer systems.

This is the only way to stop the enormous environmental problem and leave our descendants more or less clean waters.

On the Black Sea coast, the cleanest water is in the northern part, for example, in Anapa. All water areas of St. Petersburg (including the Gulf of Finland) do not meet sanitary standards. By swallowing such water, you can become infected with acute intestinal and enterovirus infections, as well as hepatitis A. Swimming in the Baltic Sea is also completely prohibited.

ON THIS TOPIC

The situation is also unfavorable on the beaches of the Caspian Sea. Rospotrebnadzor of the Republic of Dagestan reported that the bathing areas in Kaspiysk and Makhachkala are littered, laboratory control over the quality of sea water and sand has not been organized, and the issue of wastewater treatment has not been resolved, the Izvestia newspaper reports.

A less acute, but nevertheless unsatisfactory situation is the situation in the Primorsky Territory. Only ten beaches out of 25 allow swimming there this year. In particular, in two bays of the Ussuri Bay - Muravyina and Lazurnaya, the results of water analysis in places open for swimming revealed an excess of hygienic standards.

According to experts, the main sources of pollution are wastewater, industrial production and collapsing rocks. Elena Sokolova, head of the biological treatment laboratory of JSC NII VODGEO, said that the problem of microbiological pollution of sea water is especially relevant for small settlements on the coast.

The entry of mercury into the seas is also associated exclusively with human activity. Deputy Director for scientific work State Oceanographic Institute named after. N.N. Zubova Alexander Postnov noted that this pollutant was detected in samples Baltic Sea. And in recent years, it has begun to be found in the Sea of ​​Azov and the Taganrog Bay. And in the Far East, near Vladivostok, sea pollution with metals and petroleum hydrocarbons is chronic, since large ports are located there.

The sea is a valuable source of resources for humans: minerals and gases, fauna and flora, liquids. For a working person, a vacation at sea is the very goal for which one can overcome the office routine. Unfortunately, finding a clean coastline has recently become extremely difficult, and it’s not at all a matter of bad work local “utility workers” or insufficient budgeting by local authorities. Cities developing along the coasts are in full swing using the above-mentioned resources and, importantly, pouring back waste, polluting the water and killing biomass. And vacationers also do not stand on ceremony with nature, regularly throwing kilograms of household waste and garbage into the water or leaving them on the sand.

Nature has not learned to cleanse itself from industrial technological waste, since it is created artificially, and natural breakdown and decomposition can take tens, hundreds and even thousands of years. This is how various “slag” accumulates on sea ​​depths, which is reflected in the general pollution of the coast from year to year.

Let's consider the TOP 10 most polluted seas that people have reached in their economic and tourism activities.

Caspian

In the depths of this sea, research developments for oil fields regularly take place. As a result, industrial waste remains in the water area, which destroys the local flora and fauna. On this moment it is known that the hydrocarbon content in the liquid significantly exceeded safe standards. Phenol is also increased 6 times more than is acceptable for normal water use.

South China

The economies of Asia and China are developing by leaps and bounds, which leads to the massive construction of hydroelectric power stations, ports and other economic facilities on the coast of this sea. Toxic algae multiply regularly, causing the water to turn red and pollute it. Industrial wastewater is also discharged into the sea without even undergoing primary filtration. Liquid samples from coastal waters showed disappointing results, which forced the sea to be included in the list of the dirtiest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Red

The famous sea of ​​Egypt attracts a lot of tourists every year. It surprises with rare corals, colorful fish and other beautiful fauna, as well as clean light sand and water. However, this applies to resort areas, where the purification of coastal waters is monitored - after all, this is a source of income for local authorities. How are things really going? The Red Sea has been rapidly evaporating recently, resulting in a concentration of toxic components. The decline in fishing has been observed by up to 70%. At the same time, the tourist flow is increasing, which leads to additional water pollution with biological and household waste.

Japanese Sea

Just like in other similar seas, the Japanese megacities are intensively dumping untreated wastewater and petroleum products, the amount of which exceeds the established standards by 10 times. Not only hydrocarbons were found in the sea surface, but also pesticides and DDT (insecticide).

Mediterranean

It ranks 3rd in the world for pollution. The megacities of Italy and Cyprus use water in industry and do not hesitate to discharge waste, so doctors do not advise vacationing on the coast major cities. Scientists have found that annually about 650 million tons of solid household waste and more than 200 million toxic liquids based on mercury, petroleum products and lead are thrown into the sea surface. It was also revealed that every kilometer of the Mediterranean seabed contains an average of 2 thousand items of human waste. Some representatives of the fauna (for example, swordfish and tuna) accumulate mercury, which is toxic to humans, and then end up on our table.

Laccadive

The sea of ​​the Indian coast is “famous” for its saturation with compounds of heavy metals, salts and suspended matter, the concentration of which reaches an average of 0.6 milliliters per 1 liter of liquid. These figures exceed the permissible limits by 6 times, which is extremely dangerous for human health, and especially for children and elderly citizens whose immunity is weakened. Megacities are building ports in the sea, which are generators hazardous waste and wastewater.

Baltic

And this sea leads in terms of the volume of chemical and even nuclear components in its depths. According to some reports, even mustard gas was found in the water in addition to the already existing soman, sarin and diphosgene. About half a million tons were sunk at the bottom chemical weapons(charges and containers), as well as nuclear waste, which is a kind of " powder keg» delayed action. In addition, the Baltic Sea is quite shallow, which leads to increased concentrations of garbage, household waste and toxic liquids. In total, scientists counted about 60 potential “deadly” areas with increased concentrations of poisons.

Black Sea

The east of the sea is the most polluted (the concentration of toxins is 6 times higher). Hydrogen sulfide was found at the bottom. A significant number of visiting tourists leads to severe pollution of water spaces and the coast with household and biological waste. The main source of pollution is maritime shipping, as well as auxiliary enterprises such as docks, ports and construction companies. The rate of water exchange and self-purification in this sea is reduced, which leads to the accumulation of sewage and oil products. Recently, outbreaks of intestinal infections have been diagnosed among the population and tourists. Pollution also negatively affects fishing, reducing the volume of fish and seafood caught - but this important source income of local regions.

Azovskoe

One of the dirtiest seas in Europe, which is noticeable not only to scientists, but also to the naked eye of a tourist. Dark and muddy water, the seabed covered with fish skeletons, decaying corpses of living creatures on the coast - and this is far from the limit of what a person encounters every season. In the water area, characteristic oil mold is already observed (up to 0.05% of the sea surface area!), and E. coli and related diseases will soon return to normal. A shallow depth leads to an increase in the concentration of industrial waters and harmful chemical elements, rapid decomposition biological mass. Natural sources of pollution, for example, small mud volcanoes, are also periodically observed.

Gulf of Mexico

One of the first places in the ranking is occupied by a small sea included in the water area Atlantic Ocean. It's not so big household waste tourism, but there is a very “variegated” chemical composition. The rivers flowing into the bay carry various nitrates, phosphorus, and other toxins from the megacities of the USA, Mexico and Cuba. Oil is also spilled in the area, which leads to the poisoning of local fauna and flora. It is estimated that the sea in time industrial development accumulated about 10 million barrels of oil.

As we see, it is man and his unreasonable economic activity. Factories and stations do not install the necessary purification filters, illegally dumping waste into rivers and seas. Old ports and docks, as well as heavy shipping traffic, are degrading the local environment. Development of gas and oil sources leads to poisoning of marine inhabitants with toxic products. And the moral level of most tourists leads to the fact that thousands of tons of biological and household waste. Let's be more attentive to our general nature and save its valuable resources, otherwise an environmental disaster is inevitable!