The paper introduces the research progress in an emergency decision support system for marine pollution （EDSS） in China seas and elaborates on the possible role of the Neutron Activation Analysis （NAA） method therein. To deal with the increasingly grave situation of offshore pollution, the EDSS for China seas has been researching and developing. Based on the prediction and analysis of the ocean three-dimensional current field, this system makes an inference on the possible path of diffusion and influencing area of marine pollutants and possible location of pollution source, and in combination with the environmentally sensitive information related to the technical integration of GIS, it puts forward the decision, making support for minimizing the hazard caused by pollutants. This system has been operationalized and running for many years on the Bohai and Huanghai seas＇ Marine Pollutants Prediction and Early-Warning, and it has achieved successful experience for many times in the emergencies of China＇s coastal pollution accidents. At present, the environmental guarantee system directed against heavy metals and radioactive pollutants is in the experimental stage. As the NAA method is especially applicable to the detection of part of heavy metals and radioactive substances, it is of very important practical value for the new system to realize the monitoring, prediction and early-warning of ocean heavy metals and radioactive pollutants.
