Chemical Pollution Definition

According to Environmental Pollution Centers (2017) chemical pollution is “the presence or increase in our environment of chemical pollutants that are not naturally present there or are found in amounts higher than their natural background values.” Materials that are not normally present include anthropogenically manipulated materials such as chemicals used for farming that have been washed into waterways, pollutants from industry such as those used in oil drilling, and other materials that break down over time. The majority of chemical pollutants that pose threat to the environment are from anthropogenic sources and where the direct effect of using chemicals to complete tasks that serve a purpose in multiple sectors of development and the developed world (Environmental pollution centers, 2017).

Causes: Chemical Pollution Resulting from Agriculture

Chemicals used for agricultural purposes have made their way to the Gulf of Mexico through waterways. In the article “Growing Dead Zone,” discussion of the levels of phosphates and nitrates are considered significant since the chemical compounds contribute to the growing size of the dead zone (1998:21). Levels of phosphates and nitrates should be in an ideal balance that does not significantly alter the environment’s ability to function, however chemical runoff from farming operations have contributed to alteration of livable conditions for marine life. The influx of nutrients from farming result in changes is the consumption habits of planktons that ultimately result in conditions of oxygen depletion (1998: 21-22). Nutrient pollution in water systems due to the production of food in the United States and Mexico present challenges to sustainability since the pollution acts within a system of depletion useable habitat; one of the major challenges of agricultural chemical pollution is the continuation of sustainability needs, but the response to chemicals used in one location is the degradation of other environments due to human action.

Causes: Chemical Pollution Resulting From Oil Spills

Oil spills and chemical pollution related to oil drilling are destructive when introduced into marine environments due the reach of chemicals. Chemical pollutants related to oil effect both the marine life and life along the coast, so the pollution threat is disproportionately significant. Pollution form the Deepwater Horizon oil spill allowed for 780,000 cubic meters of oil to flow through ocean and coastal processes in the northern Gulf for almost 90 days (Mo, Kearney, & Riter, 2010:1). The response to the Ixtoc I oil spill was to deploy chemicals in attempt to solve problems associated with the spill such as fire, and even through a contaminant zone was set in place the over 400,000 tonnes of oil before a cap was put in place (Schrope, 2010:304). In both cases, oil was unnaturally introduced into the Gulf of Mexico that required many organization to become involved in cleanup efforts, however some of those efforts lead to further pollution; some of the fires associated with the oil spills required the use of chemical introduction as a means for extinguishing some of the chemicals used in the drilling process.