Table 2

Examples of microbial and chemical contaminants found in oceans that pose health risks to humans, possible sources of the contaminants, and typical symptoms or the disease induced by exposure to the contaminant.

Contaminant
Possible source
Symptoms or disease

Vibrio cholera
Human sanitary waste
Cholera
Norwalk Virus
Human sanitary waste
Gastroenteritis
Mercury
Burning coal, industrial use
Neurodevelopmental toxicity, adult toxicity
Persistent organic pollutants
Industrial waste
Immunologic, cancer, reproductive

Kite-Powell et al. Environmental Health 2008 7(Suppl 2):S6   doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-S2-S6