Evaluation of safety factors with respect to ocean disposal of waste materials.

Assessment of the risk and consequent environmental harm to the oceans is essential if ocean dumping is to be continued. The available literature, bioassay studies, and pertinent research concerning chronic effects and the risk they impose on the marine ecosystem was studied. The correlation between acute and chronic toxicities for known hazardous materials were investigated and defined. The variables defined to be of most importance are: Stage of development, concentration of toxicant, time of exposure, specific or non- specific reactions, lifetime of the compound, reactions with other chemicals, and bioaccumulation. The ranges of ratios for different conditions and situations or at least the ratios of acute to chronic toxicities for various classes of materials were determined.