Which organisms does water pollution affect?
Both aquatic and terrestrial organisms
Water pollution
The contamination of streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, or groundwater with substances produced through human activities that negatively affect organisms.
Point sources
Distinct locations such as a particular factory that pumps it’s waste into a nearby stream or a sewage treatment plant that discharges waste water from a pipe into the ocean.
Non point sources
More diffuse areas such as an entire farming region, a suburban community with many lawns and septic systems, or storm runoff from parking lots
Which is easier to fix, point or non point sources?
Point sources
Waste water
The water produced by human activities including human sewage from toilets and grey water from bathing and washing clothes and dishes.
Three reasons waste water is a problem
- Creates a large demand for oxygen in the water
- Nutrients can make water more fertile
- Waste water can carry a wide variety of disease causing organisms
Oxygen demanding waste
Organic matter that enters a body of water and feeds the growth of microbes that are Decomposers.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
A measurement of the amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over a period of time at specific temperatures
Lower BOD indicates? Higher BOD indicates?
Less pollution
More pollution bc of waste water
Why is oxygen demand bad?
When microbes require so much oxygen, there is little left for other organisms, and that can be deadly to plants, shellfish, etc.
Dead zones
An area with extremely low oxygen concentration and very little life
Two important elements for limiting abundance of producers I’m aquatic ecosystems
Nitrogen and phosphorus
Eutrophication
A phenomenon in which a body of water becomes rich in nutrients
- causes algal bloom
Cultural eutrophication
When a body of water experiences an increase in fertility due to anthropogenic inputs of nutrients.
Indicator species
An organism that indicates whether or not disease causing pathogens are likely to be present
Fecal coliform bacteria
Generally harmless micro organisms that live in the intestines of human beings and animals (E. Coli)
Septic system
A relatively small and simple sewage treatment system, made up of a septic tank and a leach field
Used for homes in rural areas
Septic tank
A large container that receives waste water from the house 3 layers : Scum layer - anything that floats Septage - fairly clear water Sludge - solid waste
Leach field
A part of a septic system, made up of underground pipes laid below the surface of the ground.
Environmental advantage of septic system
No electricity is needed
Sewage treatment plant
Used in more populated areas
- network of pipes that receive waste from hundreds or thousands of houses
Primary treatment
Solid waste material collected out of waste water and placed in a landfill, burned, or made into fertilizer
Secondary treatment
Uses bacteria to break down organic matter in water and convert it to carbon dioxide and nitrogen and phosphorus. And then released into a River or lake.
- but can result in algal blooms
Manure lagoons
Large, human made ponds lined with rubber to prevent the manure from leaking into the groundwater. After the manure has been broken down by bacteria, the manure can be spread as fertilizer.
Risks of manure lagoons
A leak in the liner
A possible overflow into adjacent bodies of water
Acid decomposition
Acids deposited on earth as rain or snow or as gases and particles that attach to surfaces of plants, soil, and water.
Synthetic organic compounds
Pesticides
Pharmaceuticals
Industrial cleaners
Perchlorates
Harmful chemicals found when military rockets are manufactured, tested, and dismantled.
PCBs
A group of industrial compounds formerly used to manufacture plastics and insulate electrical transformers and responsible for many environmental problems
PBDEs
Am environmentally harmful compound commonly found in flame retardants, and other materials
Ways to clean up oil
- Suck it up with a vacuum type thing
- Apply chemicals to break up the oil
- Use genetically engineered bacteria
Non chemical water pollution
Solid waste
Sediment
Heat
Noise
Great pacific garbage patch
In the North Pacific gyre
Two dangers of solid waste pollution
Plastic rings from beverages can kill animals
Medical waste can be harmful to humans
Another source of solid waste pollution
Coal ash and coal slag that remains when coal is burned bc coal contains mercury, lead, arsenic
Sediments
Particles of sand, silt, clay carried by moving water to another location
Causes of sediment pollution
Construction
When natural vegetation is removed
Effects of sediment pollution
Reduced infiltration of sunlight
Reduced productivity of algae and plants
Clog fish gills
Increase nutrients
Thermal pollution
When human activities cause a change in the temperature of water
Thermal shock
A dramatic change in water temperature that can kill organisms
Noise pollution
Sound emitted from ship and submarines interfere with animal communication
Clean water act
Protects natural water supplies except groundwater
Safe drinking water act
Protects tap water sources
Maximum contaminant levels
The standard for safe drinking water established by the EPA under the safe drinking water act
Legislation around the world
In develoPED countries, industrialization and water pollution has been around longer so people have notified the need for legislation
- in developING countries, it hasn’t been around that long, so people don’t see the need for legislation yet,