17 
TABLE XII. PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATION IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT (COASTAL WATERS): 
Location p/m 
Biota: 
Westibalmouthes Masse (wetiweneti ty) zoe nek esd ao ls a ana a OT ee a Nie ak 5-90: 
Westaral MODLMIVASSeN(WVELIWENOIIL) terete cre ecne ee Sel rr gene Sen ame a nee ea Sg a Poe Sct 1-69: 
GalvestoniBay vex Gwe wei slit) coe wees ery cf ak Sy SS a Ee See 236 
NantagansethiBayaiReleGwetiwelaht) 2c ots 20 ely ee De es aig ee Ne ee 3-16 
SouthOucensiand: Australiai(wetweight)s._ 9 2k eee Bee ot a ees 24-310 
ChedabuctolBayaGanadal(wetiwelght) mascara ca ee ee a eee 3-545 
Sediments: 
WestakdlmouthaMass.(dry weightye kts Sounkyo cae ye yee eT Eee aS ey A Tee up to 12,400 
West Falmouth, Mass. (wet weight)___._______ 21-3, 000 
Narragansett Bay, R.I. (dry weight)___-.--__- 2 50-3, 500 
0-6. 3 
Chedabucto Bay, Canada (dry weight) 
Source: IDOE, op. cit. p. 2. 
slowly being degraded.” Oil pollution in Arctic waters would be more 
persistent and of more serious consequences than in warmer regions 
because degradation and evaporation is slower at lower temperatures. 
For this reason Canada has passed far-reaching legislation to mitigate 
this possibility. 
Thermal pollution—Thermal pollution is mainly generated by 
nuclear power plants. At present, nuclear power reactors are less. 
efficient in converting thermal energy to electricity than fossil fuel 
plants. Most nuclear power plants operate at about 32 percent effi- 
ciency compared to 40 percent for fossil fuel. The nonrecoverable 
heat has to be removed and this is done by passing water through 
cooling units. With the present urgency to expand and develop nuclear 
power generating facilities, efficiency 1s increasing but because of the 
greater number of plants the thermal pollution problem is being 
intensified. A recent report for the State of California estimated that 
if all future electric generating plants in California were to locate at 
coastal sites because of the availability of cheap cooling water, the 
average distance between these additional sites could be as little as 5 
miles by the year 2000 and 2 miles by the year 2020.” 
The effects of thermal pollution are difficult to assess. Higher water 
temperature itself may not be harmful to fish, but some studies of 
salmon by the Western Fish Toxicology Station of the Environ- 
mental Protection Agency have shown that many died, before they 
could spawn, after entering thermally polluted water because of dis- 
eases related to newly thriving bacteria. Warmer water increases 
metabolism in some fish enough to double their oxygen demand for 
each ten-degree rise in water temperature and, at the same time, 
warm water holds less oxygen. This combination places much more 
stress on the life functions of fish in thermally polluted water. On 
the other hand, warmer water may help keep port facilities less ice 
bound in winter. Warm water also stimulates plant growth which 
may lead to eutrophication (overfertilization characterized by de- 
pletion of oxygen and excess plant nutrients) or may simply provide 
a greater source of plant food for the benefit of the ecosystem. Further 
complicating thermal pollution assessment is the fact that thermally 
polluted water generally also contains a number of other pollutants, 
and the effects of these toxins on the marine environment are greater 
with increased temperature as reaction rates are faster. 
22 Blumer, M. and J. Sass. Oil Pollution: Persistence and Degradation of Spilled Fuel Oil. Science, v. 176,. 
1972: 1120-1122. 
2 Anderson, K. P. Some Implications of Policies to Slow the Growth of Electricity Demand im 
California. Rand Corporation, R-990-NSF/CSA, Santa Monica, Calif., Dec. 1972: 1-2. 
