-
water that is unfit for it’s intended use due to the
addition of impurities of some kind.
-
-
*Pollution of ____ supplies is probably responsible for more human
illness than any other type of environmental disruption
water
-
pollution from a specific site via pipes,
sewers, or ditches.
-
-
pollution that
enters water over vast areas, especially pesticides and fertilizers.
Agricultural runoff from feed lots (hog farms, poultry farms) is a
huge problem. Others include urban waste and mining waste.
-
Nonpoint source pollution (polluted runoff)
-
Types of Water Pollution:
-
1. Sewage – wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers – contains human waste
- (urine, feces), soaps.
- 2. Disease-causing agents – bacteria, viruses, protozoans, parasitic worms,
- that come from the waste of infected individuals.
- Diseases caused
- cholera, typhoid, dysentery, enteritis by bacteria
- hepatitis, poliomyelitis by virus
- cryptosporidioisis, amoebic dysentery by protozoans
- schistosomiasis by fluke
- anclystomiaisis by hookworm
-
an acute intestinal infection caused eating food or
drinking water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae.
Cholera
-
a test for the presence of E. coli, a common bacteria
found in human and animal solid waste. This test can be used to determine
the amount of sewage present in a water source.
-
-
excessive soil particles in water due to erosion
-
-
substances that stimulate growth of algae and
plants including nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff or animal
wastes, and phosphate detergents.
-
Inorganic plant nutrients
example: enrichment
-
the introduction of fertilizers into a body of water
-
-
synthetic (man-made) carbon compounds that include
oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, and pesticides. These often remain in the environment
for a long time.
• Example – Toxic Soup in Avila Beach in 1998 – Union Oil paid
-
-
non-carbon
containing acids, salts, and heavy
metals.
-
-
highly toxic, long lasting,
can lead to kidney failure and
nervous system damage. Mercury is
found in dry-cell batteries, paint,
and plastics. It is an accumulative
poison (builds up in body over
time) found in fish
-
-
used in winter to melt
ice. Harms plants and water quality
-
-
acid drainage from mines – ex.
-
Sulphuric acid pollutes waterways
-
as a result of uranium mining
radioactive substances
-
the release of heated water. Steam generated power plants
used water to remove excess heat. The warmed water has a major effect upon the
metabolic rate of “cold blooded” (ectotherms) animals
Thermal pollution
-
**One major effect is that warm water holds less oxygen than cold water and
effects respiration in aquatic organisms.
– cell respiration – the use of oxygen to help to breakdown foods to release
energy.
– biological oxygen demand (BOD) – the amount of oxygen needed by
microorganisms to break down sewage and other wastes into carbon dioxide,
water, and minerals.
Thermal pollution
-
the use of oxygen to help to breakdown foods to release
energy.
cell respiration
-
the amount of oxygen needed by
microorganisms to break down sewage and other wastes into carbon dioxide,
water, and minerals.
-
biological oxygen demand (BOD)
-
water (lake) with many nutrients – Water in these lakes is
cloudy and sometimes foul smelling.
-
-
water (lake) with few nutrients – These lakes are clean
and clear (Crater Lake, Lake Tahoe) and have fewer aquatic organisms.
Oligo = few or little trophic = nourishment
-
-
is the process of removing
undesirable chemicals, materials, and
biological contaminants from raw water
Water purification
-
• Most water is purified for human drinking
water but may also be designed medical,
pharmacology, chemical and industrial
applications.
-
• In general the methods used include physical
- process such as filtration and sedimentation,
- biological processes such as slow sand filters
- or activated sludge, chemical process such as
- flocculation and chlorination and the use of
- electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet
- light.
- • The standards for drinking water quality are
- set by governments.
-
• Early attempts at improving water quality missed many disease-causing
organisms.
• The discovery that chlorine kills these organisms allowed for greater purity
and safety in drinking water.
-
• Drawback…breakdown of chlorine and reactants forming by products are
- linked to several types of cancer, miscarriages, and rare birth defects.
- • Modern treatment uses reduced amounts and alternate forms of chlorine
-
____
removes suspended and floating particles by
mechanical processes.
– The solid material that settles out at this stage is ____.
primary treatment, primary sludge.
-
____
uses microorganisms (aerobic bacteria) to
decompose the suspended organic material.
– The particles and microorganisms are allowed to settle out after
several hours, forming a ____.
secondary treatment, secondary sludge.
-
is an advanced water treatment method which
includes a variety of biological, chemical, and physical processes. Takes
out pollutants left behind from secondary such as minerals, heavy metals,
viruses, and organic compounds.
tertiary treatment
-
1977 law designed to eliminate the discharge of
pollutants into U.S. waterways and to make them safe for fishing and
swimming.
-
-
1972 law that was amended and
became Clean Water Act in 1977.
-
Water Pollution Control Act
-
Results of Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act:
-
– The great lakes are cleaner than they have been in a long time.
- – Reports show levels of DDT in women’s breast milk have declined since 1967.
- – Levels of PCB in trout have decreased and some animal populations including
- bald eagles have rebounded
-
-
• Maximum containment level – the greatest permissible
- amount of any water pollutant in drinking water that may
- adversely affect human health.
-
-
• National emission limitations – maximum permissible
- levels of water pollutants that can be discharged from sewage
- treatment plants, factories, and other point sources.
-
Types of water pollution:
- 1. sewage
- 2. disease-causing agents
- 3. sediment pollution
- 4. inorganic plant nutrients
- 5. organic compounds
- 6. inorganic compounds
- 7. radioactive substances
- 8. thermal pollution
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