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Pollutagens
George D. Buckley
Harvard University
Polluntagens are microscopic
pathogens and parasites from
humans, pets and other
terrestrial animals
They enter the ocean
ecosystems largely from
sewage and land runoff into
local waters
Your kitty may be killing more
than song birds; its kitty litter
may be killing marine life
Toxoplasmagondii is a
protozoan parasite from cat
intestines that can wreck
havoc on other animals’
immune systems (M. Grigg)
One infected cat can shed 100
million egg-like oocytes in its
feces. There are 70 million
domestic cats in the United
States and nearly 60 million
feral cats (M. Grigg)
Canine (dog) distemper has
been shown to have caused
wide spread seal deaths
Sarcocystisneurona, an
opossum parasite has been
found to cause brain
inflammation and death in
West coast sea otters. (M.
Miller)
Neosporacaninum, a parasite
that causes cattle fetuses to
die, has been found in dead
seals in Washington state
Salmonella and Clostridium,
virulent bacterial pathogens,
have been frequently found in
sick and dead whales. (J.P.
Schroeder)
In the Caribbean, the Large and
stately Elkhorn coral that provide
shelter to myriad of species of
marine invertebrates and fish has
been largely killed off by the
white pox disease caused by
Serratiamarcescens. (K.
Sutherland)
The Serratiamarcescens which
has caused the death of over
90% of Caribbean Elkhorn
coral is found in sewage and is
caused by meningitis
In the Pacific, drug resistant
strains of Escherichia coli (E.
coli) and Enterococcus
bacterial pathogens have been
found in many populations of
seals. (S. Raverty)
Tests on sick marine mammals
and necropsies (autopsies) on
dead ones often reveal two or
more infectious marine
pollutagens.
While one polluntagen may not
have sickened or killed the
animal, the combined effects
of two or more pollutagens can
kill the animal by
overwhelming its immune
system (J. P. Schroeder)
Beyond the untold millions of
pollutagens entering the
world’s oceans, there is grave
concern about the massive
amounts of food additives,
industrial chemicals, and
pharmaceuticals in the waste
stream.
Humans often excrete most of
the medicines that they take
via urine or fecal matter.
Unused medicines are often
discarded down the toilet or
into the trash.
What To Do?
1) Never discard unused
medicines.
2) Bring unused pharmaceuticals
to an approved local recycling
station.
3) Never discard dog or cat
waste into the sewer.
Sewage treatment must be
improved to include better
testing for pathogens and
pollutagens with added
filtration to complement anti
microbial treatments
Plants are excellent at recycling
pollutants through the process
of Phyto-remediation
We must promote the protection
of wetlands such as swamps
and marshes, nature’s natural
bio-filter