Assessment of Seawater Pollution

Assessment of the seawater quality is based on the calculation of the integrated index water pollution (IWP). The average concentration of the most significant pollutants in a local area of the sea during a certain period expressed in units of the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) is at the core of the index. The long-term practice of using the IWP has allowed for significant additions and corrections in the calculation methodology and in scientific interpretation of results, which improves the accuracy of assessing the state of marine environment based on standard hydrochemical studies. To assess the seawater quality by one parameter, a six-rank scheme is proposed, the scale of which was developed on the basis of the MAC for an analyzed substance. Additional criteria of seawater pollution related to eutrophication, amount of marine litter, pollution of bottom sediments and suspended solids and tissues of marine biota are proposed.