Chemical Pollutants Driving Marine Ecosystem Degradation: Cumulative Effects of Heavy Metals, Plastics, and Eutrophication

The health of marine ecosystems faces unprecedented challenges from anthropogenic chemical pollutants. This review synthesizes current research on how three major pollutant categoriesheavy metals, plastics, and eutrophicationimpact marine environments, with particular emphasis on their cumulative effects. These pollutants operate through distinct yet interconnected pathways, affecting species diversity, habitat integrity, and ecological functions. Heavy metals disrupt the physiological functions of marine organisms and biomagnify through trophic levels, while plastics not only cause physical damage, but also the microplastics produced by its degradation can adsorb other pollutants and damage the digestive functions of organisms. Eutrophication depletes oxygen, creating dead zones that collapse local ecosystems. The combined impact of these stressors often exceeds the sum of their individual effects. Over time, their cumulative effects may trigger irreversible ecological threshold crossings, creating complex challenges for ecosystem resilience and recovery. Understanding these cumulative impacts is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies and conservation policies that address multiple pollution sources simultaneously rather than in isolation.