ABSTRACT
Physical, chemical, and biological processes control the distribution, fate, and overall effect of anthropogenic wastes on estuarine and marine environments by altering the concentration, chemical form, bioavailability, and toxicity of contaminants. The loss and alteration of habitat rank among the most serious anthropogenic effects on estuarine and coastal marine environments. Salt marshes and mangroves have a long history of anthropogenic alteration. Some investigators consider eutrophication as simply the anthropogenic increase or enrichment of nutrients in a waterbody. Heavy metals enter estuarine and marine environments from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Anthropogenic radionuclides in the marine environment derive from several significant sources, notably nuclear power plant discharges and accidents, nuclear fuel processing facilities, nuclear submarine and aircraft accidents, radioactive waste dumping, nuclear weapons testing, and atmospheric fallout. Among the various types of organic wastes discharged to estuarine and marine waters, sewage is quantitatively the most significant.
