Word: absorber
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While minoxidil appears to be safe, the FDA advises patients to get a thorough physical before taking it and then see their doctors periodically. One reason: those who have cardiovascular disease and who also absorb the drug more easily than others may be at risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, among other side effects. None of the test subjects have suffered such serious problems, however, although some have developed such minor complaints as itching, scaling and blistering of the scalp...
...Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the Gulf of Mexico. Between 1940 and 1980, the number of Americans who live within 50 miles of a seashore increased from 42 million to 89 million -- and the total is still mounting. Coastal waters are getting perilously close to reaching their capacity to absorb civilization's wastes...
Whatever the precise cause, trouble begins when the level of pollutants in the water overwhelms the capacity of estuaries to assimilate them. The overtaxed system, unable to absorb any more nutrients or contaminants, simply passes them along toward bays and open coastal areas. "When the system is working," says Maurice Lynch, a biological oceanographer at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, "it can take a lot of assault. But when it gets out of whack, it declines rapidly...
There is little question that the oceans have an enormous ability to absorb pollutants and even regenerate once damaged waters. For example, some experts feared that the vast 1979 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would wipe out the area's shrimp industry. That disaster did not occur, apparently because the ocean has a greater capacity to break down hydrocarbons than scientists thought. But there may be a limit to how much damage a sector of ocean can take. Under assault by heavy concentrations of sludge, for example, the self- cleansing system can be overwhelmed. Just like decaying algae...
Across the globe, the seas have been sending urgent signals that they are perilously close to their capacity to absorb civilization' s wastes. The most visible damage has been to coastal zones, where fouled waters and littered beaches are costing the fishing and resort industries billions of dollars. The loss in quality of life for everyone is incalculable. See ENVIRONMENT...