Mediterranean Coastal Pollution focuses on scientific and technical information on the progress of measures and initiatives relative to the control of pollution in the Mediterranean. The book commences by pointing to the Mediterranean Action Plan. Particularly given consideration are the related legislation, the environmental assessment and management components of the plan, and present stage of the plan. The book also discusses the remedies and initiatives that need to be undertaken in the event of marine accidents. The methods to measure the quantity of pollutants in water is also discussed. The text also presents experiments and studies that focus on the control of the effects of hazardous chemicals on coastal waters. Marine studies and research on coastal waters are discussed, and the trends, methodologies, and recommendations are outlined to support the findings. Sewage treatment and proper disposal methods of hazardous substances on coastal waters are also discussed. Comparisons are then made between conventional sewage treatment processes and new processes. The book is a valuable source of data for scholars and readers who are interested in mitigating the effects of pollution on coastal waters.

This volume represents a practical survey of current understanding of chemical contamination of the Mediterranean Sea. Beginning with an overview of the general physical and socio-economic context, the author reviews the exploration of processes governing the fate of chemicals, assesses the budget of both inorganic and organic contaminants, and describes new tools for studying the impact of pollution on the Mediterranean.

A distinction between contamination and pollution is useful when we wish to consider what strategies to adopt in researching the impact of anthropogenic activities on the marine environment. Contamination strictly refers to the chemical burden imposed on the system and is evaluated in terms of the concentrations of chemical compounds in various abiotic (e. g water, suspended particulate matter, sediments) and biotic (plant and animal, pelagic and benthic) components. The concept of pollution, on the other hand, infers an assessment of biological response to the measured levels of contamination. This response may be measured at various levels of biological organisation, from molecular events within the cell to changes in such ecosystem properties as nutrient flux and biological productivity. Such measures of biological response need not infer any value judgements regarding putative damage or disturbance to the natural systems, although the biologist will usually have in mind a reference point of normality with which to compare the measured response; departure from this "normality" may then provide a quantitiative index of disturbance. The challenge to scientists engaged in research into marine contamination and pollution is to weld the chemical and biological elements together (always with reference also to the physical features of the environment) so as to provide a coherent framework for the quantitative evaluation of environmental response.

This volume offers a review of oil inputs to the Mediterranean Sea from sources such as shipping, and offshore exploration and exploitation activities. It discusses international measures to prepare for, respond to, and prevent oil pollution incidents, as well as the international legal framework and agencies with a role in pollution prevention and responses. It includes chapters on modeling the fate of oil pollution, oil spill response, and oil spill beaching probability, and presents data from a range of sources, including historic data on shipping accidents and oil exploration and exploitation activities, satellite and remote sensing data, and numerical modelling data, to provide an overview of oil pollution over several years. Topics covered include modelling of oil slicks in the eastern and western Mediterranean basins, oil exploration and exploitation activities in the waters of the Levantine Basin (Eastern Mediterranean), and signatures to and ratification of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, for example. Together with the companion volume Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part II - National Case Studies, it addresses both national and international measures in the region, making it of relevance to the agencies and government bodies tasked with remediating or preventing oil pollution, as well as policymakers and practitioners in the fields of shipping, ports and terminals, oil extraction and marine management. It provides researchers with essential reference material on tools and techniques for monitoring oil pollution, and serves as a valuable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of marine oil pollution.

This volume reviews the oil inputs to the Mediterranean Sea from sources such as shipping, offshore oil installations, and oil refineries, presented in a number of national case studies. A regional overview is also presented for the Adriatic Sea. Topics include mapping of oil slicks in the Adriatic, oil exploration and exploitation activities in the waters of the Levantine Basin (Eastern Mediterranean), the oil pollution preparedness and response activities of individual Mediterranean states, bilateral and regional cooperation among the various states, and the risk of pollution from shipping in sensitive sea areas, for example. Together with the companion volume Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part I - The International Context, it addresses both national and international measures in the region, making it of relevance to the agencies and government bodies tasked with remediating or preventing oil pollution, as well as policymakers and practitioners in the fields of shipping, ports and terminals, oil extraction and marine management. It provides researchers with essential reference material on tools and techniques for monitoring oil pollution, and constitutes a valuable resource for undergraduate and post-graduate students in the field of marine oil pollution.

Proceedings of the International Meeting on UNEP's Regional Programmes in Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, Genoa, Italy, 12-14 February 1992 which concentrated on three issues of particular interest: water quality, coastal zone management, sea-level rise and the risks and consequences of erosion and flooding.