Week Eight Student Info. Summary This is a very brief overview of pollution studies and highlights in Puget Sound, but it includes some recent important trend information.
Pollution is a damaging excess of contaminants.
Contaminants are any biological, physical or chemical agents that occur in excess of the their natural range. Human bacteria, light, noise, suspended particulate material, and various chemicals are contaminants. This summary focuses on chemical contaminants. Federal, state and local agencies conduct monitoring and assessment surveys to map and document contamination and effects of contaminants on marine and aquatic biota. Water, sediment and marine life in large areas of the greater Puget Sound area are clean or slightly contaminated and do not harbor marine life injured by contaminants.