Lecture 2 - Environment and Climate change Flashcards

1
Q

At what pH do rain and snow become problematic?

A

pH of 5 (see pH scale).pH < 5
**Rain and snow are already naturally acidic

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2
Q

What is the major cause of acid depositions?

A

Sulphur dioxide –> sulfuric acid
**Current government regulations and
changes in industrial practices are expected to reduce the rate of these emissions from the electricity sector

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3
Q

What are the effects of acid rain on materials?

A

Acidic particles corrode metal and cause paint and stone to deteriorate more quickly.
Consequences:
◦ damaged materials that need to be repaired or replaced
◦ increased maintenance costs
◦ loss of detail on stone and metal statues, monuments and tombstones

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4
Q

What are the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems?

A

Different for all species: some algae and seagrass may benefit (increase their photosynthetic and growth rates).
A more acidic environment will harm other marine species such as molluscs, corals and some varieties of plankton. Coral reefs may become vulnerable to storm damage and slow the recovery rate.

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5
Q

What causes ozone depletion and where is it most pronounced?

A

Release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities. Most pronounced in polar regions.

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6
Q

What is a major source of chlorine in the stratosphere?

A

human-produced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

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7
Q

What action was done to preserve the ozone layer?

A

The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer began the phaseout of CFCs in
1993 (goal: reduce global consumption by 50%)

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8
Q

Define water pollution

A

Water pollution is mainly due to the release of substances into groundwater or into lakes, rivers, and oceans. These substances can impact the quality of water and interfere with the natural functioning of ecosystems. May also include the release of energy, in the form of radioactivity or heat, into bodies
of water.

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9
Q

What are the major water contaminants?

A

Pathogens, organic waste, nutrients, toxic organic chemicals, toxic metals, sediments, acidity, salts, and heat.

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10
Q

Define pathogens and their source

A

Mostly caused by domestic sewage. Pathogens can enter waterways from untreated sewage, runoff from naturally vegetated areas, malfunctioning septic systems, stormwater drains and others.

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11
Q

What are the health issues provoked by pathogens?

A

range from mild impacts to serious
life-threatening illnesses, such as typhoid, and cholera.

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12
Q

Define organic waste and their source

A

Large quantities of organic compounds are released into water courses.
They can lead to oxygen depletion in surface waters. Organic pollutants consist of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and
nucleic acids. They originate from domestic sewage (raw or treated), urban
run-off, industrial (trade) effluents and farm wastes.

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13
Q

Define 2 major nutrients in aquatic ecosystems and the harms associated to them

A

Nitrogen and phosphorus are nutrients that are natural parts of aquatic ecosystems. They support the growth of algae and aquatic plants (food and habitat for different water organisms).

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14
Q

What are the harms associated to Nitrogen and Phosphorous?

A
  • Infants are vulnerable to nitrates in drinking water
  • Excess nitrogen in the atmosphere can produce pollutants such as ammonia and ozone, which can impair our ability to breathe, limit visibility and alter plant growth. The excess nitrogen that comes back to earth from the atmosphere, harms the health of forests, soils and waterways.
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15
Q

What are the primary sources of excess nitrogen and phosphorus?

A

◦ Agriculture
◦ Stormwater
◦ Wastewater
◦ Fossil Fuels

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16
Q

What are the different types of toxic organic chemicals?

A

Synthetic organic chemicals like chlorine, an important organ. chem. is PESTICIDES. VOCs: used as industrial or household solvents and as ingredients in
chemical manufacturing processes

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17
Q

What are the health issues associated with toxic organic chemicals?

A

Cancer, genetic mutations, reduction in reproductive capacity, birth defects, and tumours.

18
Q

What agreement was established to set up a framework for the proper management of hazardous waste?

A

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), passed in 1976

19
Q

How is hazardous waste classified?

A

Classified on the basis of their biological, chemical, and physical properties: toxic, reactive, ignitable, corrosive, infectious, or
radioactive.

20
Q

Define ignitability

A

Waste that is flammable and can create fires (e.g. liquids with flashpoints below 140 °F)

21
Q

Define corrosivity

A

Waste (typically acids and bases) that can rust and decompose metals (e.g. aqueous waste with pH < 2)

22
Q

Define reactivity

A

Waste that is explosive, unstable under normal conditions

23
Q

Define toxicity

A

Waste that is fatally poisonous when ingested or absorbed (e.g. lithium-sulfur batteries)

24
Q

What is TCLP?

A

Chemical analysis process used to determine whether there are hazardous elements present in a waste. Involves a simulation of leaching through a landfill.

25
Q

Define non-hazardous waste

A

Trash/garbage: solid wastes from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources

26
Q

Define radioactive waste

A

Result of nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons reprocessing. Regulated by government

27
Q

What are the 3 types of radioactive waste?

A

◦ low-level waste (LLW) - paper, rags, tools, clothing (small amounts of mostly short-lived radioactivity)
◦ intermediate-level waste (ILW) - higher amounts of radioactivity (requires some shielding)
◦ high-level waste (HLW), which is highly radioactive and hot due to decay
heat (requires cooling and shielding)

28
Q

Define High-level waste

A

Highly radioactive materials produced as a byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear reactors (e.g. spent nuclear fuel). Can reprocess extract isotopes from spent fuel.

29
Q

Define Transuranic waste

A

Waste that contains manmade elements heavier than uranium on the periodic table. Produced during nuclear fuel assembly, nuclear weapons research and production, and during the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. (is “contact-handled” (CH) or “remote-handled” (RH))

30
Q

Define low-level radioactive waste

A

Contains material with radionuclide content above the established clearance levels, but generally has limited amounts of long-lived radionuclides (e.g. contaminated clothing, wiping rags, mops, filters)

31
Q

Out of four classes of low-level radioactive waste which ones are acceptable for near-surface disposal?

A

Class A, Class B, Class C

32
Q

How is the low-level waste disposed of?

A

stored on-site by licensees, either until it has decayed away & thrown as ordinary trash, or shipped to low-level waste disposal site

33
Q

What are Uranium mill tailings?

A

Residues of Milling (refining uranium ore dug from the ground) known as mill tailing contain radioactive decay products from the uranium. Stored in specially designed ponds called ‘impoundments’.

34
Q

What is Resource depletion?

A

consumption of a
resource faster than it can be replenished

35
Q

What are the 2 major drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation?

A

Agriculture and forestry activities

36
Q

Why is biodiversity an important part of ecological services?

A

cleaning water and absorbing
chemicals, providing oxygen, allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances (e.g. fire, flood)

37
Q

What is the importance of genetic diversity?

A

prevent diseases and helps species
adjust to changes in their environment

38
Q

Why is habitat loss dangerous?

A

The primary threat to the survival of wildlife (when an ecosystem has been
dramatically changed by human
activities & may no longer be able to
provide the food, water, and cover)

39
Q

What are the dangers of habitat fragmentation?

A

These fragments of habitat may not be large or connected enough to support species that need a large territory where they can find mates and food.

40
Q

What are the causes of habitat destruction?

A
  • Agriculture (forest & prairies –> cropland)
  • Urbanization (land –> buildings…)
  • Water development (change in hydrology & water chemistry)
  • Pollution (mess w/ food web)
  • Climate change