There is a multitude of hydrophobic organic pollutants in nature. Ultimately, therefore, their absorption to plankton algae and subsequent biological effects should be understood in terms of this multiplicity; it should be determined whether there are additive, synergistic, or antagonistic relationships among chemicals in their absorption to organisms and biological activities. These effects should also be understood in terms of the unique environmental characteristics such as high light intensities in the surface microlayers, for these photoautotrophs.