Potable Water - Saraniecki Flashcards

1
Q

Nitrates
Significant disease?
MCL?
Water treatment?
Sources?

A

relatively non-toxic except to infants under 6 months
higher pH in intestinal tract allows bacterial conversion of nitrates to nitrite
nitrite attacks heme, no oxygen carry in blood, baby turns blue, treated with methylene blue
MCL 10 ppm
Water treatment: distillation, reverse osmoses, ion exchange, boiling
Sources: ammonia fertilizers, animal feedlots, human wastes

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2
Q

How is benzene a risk in water?

A

VOC
chomosomal aberrations
increased risk of cancer

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3
Q

What does toluene cause?

A

VOC
pronounced nervous disorders, spasms, tremors
impaired speech, hearing, vision, memory
kidney and liver damage

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4
Q

Where is perchloroethylene from? How is it consumed and what does it cause?
MCL?

A

used in dry cleaning of fabrics and metal degreasing
inhalation risk or ingestion of contaminated food or water, skin absorption
PERC is stored in animal fatty tissues
Group 2A human carcinogen - reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen
damages CNS
MCL 0.005 mg/l

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5
Q

What does lead in water cause?

A

implicated in stroke and kidney disease
increased risk of cancer
childhood delayed mental development

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6
Q

What does cadmium in water lead to? Sources?

A

kidney damage
sources - galvanized pipe, cisterns, pesticides

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7
Q

What does fluoride in water do?

A

mottled teeth/bone disease
4.0 ppm action level

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8
Q

Where does arsenic come from to be found in water?

A

found in natural rock formations, industrial wastes, pesticides, fertilizers
10 ppm MCL

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9
Q

What is atrazine and what might it cause?

A

synethetic organic chemical
man made pesticide
may cause weight loss, cardiovascular damage, retinal damage, increase risk of cancer

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10
Q

What is alachlor and what might it cause?

A

synthetic organic chemical
man made pesticide
eye, liver, kidney, spleen problems, anemia, increased risk of cancer

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11
Q

What are radionuclides and are the MCLs?

A

naturally occurring particles, possible from nuclear fallout
emit alpha and beta radiation
alpha particles from Radon is the major preventable cancer concern - action level 300 pCi/l
uranium poisoning linked to kidney toxicity
MCL alpha - 15 pCi/l
MCL beta - 4 millirems/year
MCL gamma is zero

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12
Q

What contaminants would cause acute health effects?

A

pathogens and nitrates

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13
Q

What contaminants would cause chronic health effects?

A

VOCs
IOCs
SPCs
radionuclides

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14
Q

What is Crenothrix?

A

nuisance microorganism
iron bacteria that does not usually cause disease
causes severe fouling or plugging of pipes
reddish-orange slimy deposits
adds iron flavor to water

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15
Q

How must water and sewer lines be separated?

A

must be laid below frost level
must be kept 10’ horizontal separation, 18” vertical separation

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16
Q

Describe a dug well

A

shallow, 10-35 ft
watertight casing material
sealed in cement grout or bentonite clay
mounded ground for runoff

17
Q

Describe a bored well

A

does not penetrate bedrock
relies on ground water that is filtered by local soil
large diameter, 20”-36”, 30’ to 100’ deep

18
Q

Describe a driven well

A

30-50+ ft deep
pulls water from saturated zone
usually sand screen point
2” to 4” pipe
pump at top of well in an access pit below the frost line or in the house

19
Q

Describe a drilled well

A

100-400ft into bedrock fractures
6” well casing extends into bedrock and 1-2’ above ground
sealed with cement or bentonite to avoid contamination
most sanitary type of system

20
Q

What soil formations indicate good water sources?

A

sedementary- weathered or eroded rocks and decomposed organic material
sand, gravel, peat, shale, sandstone
basalt

21
Q

What soil formations indicate poor water sources?

A

igneous - formed by cooling and hardening of molten rock, granite, diorite
metamorphic - heat and pressure treated, sedimentary and igneous rock

22
Q

What are Karst areas?

A

fast moving underground water through very porous limestone that forms caves, sink holes, tunnels
usually contaminated

23
Q

What does a positive fecal coliform test indicate in regards to polution?

A

fresh pollution

24
Q

What does a positive Clostridium perfringens indicate in regards to pollution?

A

previous pollution

25
Q

What is the stream zone of degradation?

A

near point source pollution
decreased O2
increased suspended solids
fish diminish
snails and worms pervade

26
Q

What is the stream zone of active decomposition?

A

O2 near zero
high turbidity
foul ordors
no fish
only worms and larvae
most polluted zone

27
Q

Describe the stream zone of recovery

A

gradual reversal
first more O2
less odors
then clams, snails, crawfish, bugs, flies
later fish

28
Q

What are ABS and LAS pollutants?

A

detergents contain surfactants that lower the surface tension of water that allows adhered grease and dirt to be washed off
ABS - Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates
LAS - Linear Alkyl-benzene Sulfonates

29
Q

What do surfactant pollutants do to surface water?

A

reduce O2 transfer at water surface
remove natural oils from fish gills - suffocation
contain nitrogen and phosphates, provoking algae blooms and eutrophication
biodegrade slowly
indicate sewage pollution

30
Q

What do surfactant pollutants do to well water?

A

not harmful
indicate sewage pollution

31
Q

How do you remove surfactants from drinking water?

A

carbon absorption

32
Q

What is MBAS assay?

A

methylene blue active substance - any compound that reacts with the indicator chemical methylene blue
this detects surfactants, which indicates sewage pollution

33
Q

What are some methods for emergency water treatment?

A

boil clear water for 1-2 mins
pressure cook water for 250F for 15 min
chlorinate - 6-8 drops chlorox per gallon, 1 pint chlorox per 1000 gallons, 30 min contact time, double amount of bleach if turbid

34
Q

At what amount can hydrogen sulfide exposure be fatal?

A

300 ppm

35
Q

What does hard water do to typical house chores

A

makes it difficult to produce suds or rinse laundry, dishes, food equipment