Test 3 (lec 14-21)

Question 1

Air Pollutants

Answer 1

Airborne substances (gases,
particulates or biological matter) released into the
atmosphere, deliberately or inadvertently, from
natural or anthropogenic sources that have the potential to harm human health and the environment

Question 2

Major concerns for air pollution

Answer 2

human health effects of smog, acidification of surface waters, crop and forest damage and damage to built
structures

Question 3

how many people are estimated to be exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution

Answer 3

2.4 billion

Question 4

Types of Air pollutants

Answer 4

Gases, Aerosols, Particulates

Question 5

Aerosols examples

Answer 5

sulphates, fine droplets of organic
material

Question 6

Particulates examples

Answer 6

soot (carbon); various oxides and
salts of metals and other inorganics; chemical
mixtures of particles with organic substances
adsorbed onto them

Question 7

Air pollution risk management

Answer 7

• Long range goals to decrease ozone concentrations in air
• Emission controls for vehicles
• Control orders for certain industries
• Warnings – susceptible persons to avoid exposure (smog advisories)

Question 8

Air sampling

Answer 8

involves collecting an air sample over a period of time that is then sent to a laboratory for analysis to
identify and quantify specific compounds

Question 9

air monitoring

Answer 9

uses electronic devices to provide real-time
readings of airborne contaminants.

Question 10

solutions for pharmaceuticals

Answer 10

Reduce sources of pharmaceuticals to
environment

Main solution is to reduce levels in
treated sewage before release

Question 11

PPCPs

Answer 11

pharmaceuticals and personal care products

Question 12

PFAs

Answer 12

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. highly used in commercial products

Question 13

what has a very long residence time! Strongest bond in organic chemistry

Answer 13

PFAs

Question 14

how to predict PFA risk

Answer 14

literature review and Toxicity tests conducted in a laboratory and in the field

Question 15

Toxicant effects at the individual level can be differentiated into
what two forms

Answer 15

lethal and sub-lethal

Question 16

Contaminant lethality can be divided into what two groups

Answer 16

acute lethality, chronic lethality

Question 17

acute lethality

Answer 17

death followed by exposure within 96 hours

Question 18

chronic lethality

Answer 18

death followed by prolonged exposure

Question 19

3 shortcomings of behavioural toxicology

Answer 19

1. Some behaviours are hard to score
2. High variability in some behaviours
3. Hard to extrapolate from lab to wild
   settings

Question 20

disadvantages of conventional toxicity tests

Answer 20

time consuming, costly, needs high numbers of test organisms

Question 21

novel approach methods

Answer 21

Defined as any technology, methodology, approach, or combination that informs chemical
hazard and risk assessment method

Question 22

replacement novel approach method

Answer 22

Methods which avoid or replace the use of animals

Question 23

refinement novel approach method

Answer 23

Methods which minimize suffering and improve animal welfare

Question 24

reduction novel approach method

Answer 24

Methods which minimize the number of animals used per experiment

Question 25

Ecotoxicogenomics

Answer 25

Study of gene and protein expression using –omics technology to understand the effects of environmental contaminants

Question 26

Omics technology

Answer 26

◦ Transcriptomic- study of gene expression levels ◦ Proteomics- study of protein expression levels ◦ Metabolomics- study of metabolites within organisms

Question 27

benefits of Ecotoxicogenomics

Answer 27

Enhances toxicity data (toxicity mechanisms) Reduces suffering of organisms (shorter test duration) Compatible with in vitro systems

Question 28

PFAS exposure can lead to what

Answer 28

endocrine disruption, decrease in immune response, oxidative stress

Question 29

Water pollution impacts from pulp and paper production

Answer 29

* Oxygen consuming substances * Toxic chemicals (Hg, chlorinated compounds, wood extractives) * Persistent bioaccumulative compounds

Question 30

Physical changes to lakes and rivers from pulp and paper production

Answer 30

* Dams * Log floating, physical damage to benthic habitats * Water consumption for processing

Question 31

potential by-products or waste from pulp or paper

Answer 31

* Sugars (= energy) * Lignin (= glue) * Extractives * Tall Oil (fatty acids) * Turpentine (alcohols, phenolics) * Resin Acids * Phytosterols

Question 32

Lignin degradation by pulping and bleaching creates what

Answer 32

toxic phenolics and polyphenolics

Question 33

characteristics of Chlorine, hypochlorous acid pulp bleaching

Answer 33

- Very efficient, not much fibre breakage - generates chlorinated compounds; - abandoned in the early 1990’s (crisis of chlorinated dioxins in fish & shellfish )

Question 34

new pulp mill impacts after 1980s

Answer 34

eutrophication due to nutrient enrichment from waste treatment

Question 35

ultimate goal for pulp and paper process

Answer 35

zero discharge, closed loop mill (re-use water)

Question 36

solutions for pulp and paper process

Answer 36

Instead of end-of-pipe solutions, improve the pulping and bleaching processes

Question 37

challenges for improving pulp and paper process

Answer 37

remove chemicals from effluents without increasing toxicity, creating solid waste, or releasing air pollutants

Question 38

components of wood (good, bad, ugly)

Answer 38

– The good: Cellulose (wood fibre used for paper and box board) – The bad: Phenolics from lignin – The ugly: Extractives (resins & fatty acids, phytosterols)

Question 39

paper bleaching

Answer 39

produces white paper by chemical oxidation to remove lignin, but.... – Chlorine bleaching generates persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals – Chlorine production results in Hg release and environmental Hg methylation

Question 40

Impacts of pulp mill effluents on aquatic ecosystems

Answer 40

oxygen depletion, bioaccumulation of PBTs, degraded fisheries

Question 41

Brownfields

Answer 41

Abandoned, idle, or underutilized commercial or industrial properties where past activities have caused known or suspected contamination, but where there is an active potential for redevelopment

Question 42

Brownfields positive attributes

Answer 42

* Location in urban areas * Sites preferred over Greenfield development * Arteries – roads, rail, water * Municipal services in place * Possible heritage interest

Question 43

Brownfields negative attributes

Answer 43

* Depress local property values * Catalyst for poor property standards, loss of community pride * Human health & environmental risks * Loss of tax revenues * Cost to clean up and redevelop

Question 44

Human health and environmental risks of brownfields

Answer 44

– Risk from immediate exposure to contaminates soil (plants, animals, humans) – Risk from substances moving from soil to ground or surface water

Question 45

brownfields incentives

Answer 45

* Allow a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives toward a specifically defined project area * Intended to encourage rehabilitation initiatives and/or stimulate development * Once implemented, the plan allows municipalities to provide tax assistance, grants or loans to assist in the rehabilitation of lands and/or buildings within the defined Community Improvement Project Area

Question 46

ecotoxicology

Answer 46

- The study of chemical effects in ecosystems and natural communities - Seeks to understand relationships among the structures of chemicals, their environmental behaviour, distribution, and effects on species of interest

Question 47

why waste-to-energy?

Answer 47

Removes or greatly reduces the need for landfill sites, avoiding potential problems down the road Reduces the need for waste treatment (i.e. sewage and other solids in wastewater) Reduces our footprint on natural resources – by utilizing waste, we avoid using a renewable or fossil resource Reduces costs – companies may avoid paying for feedstocks or disposal costs

Question 48

criteria for success of waste-to-energy

Answer 48

Technically sound approach Environmentally sustainable (low GHG emisssions) Economical (efficient use of fuel, acceptable per unit cost) Safe, reliable operations Small footprint and attractive design ‐ Must be acceptable to communities where power is needed, to reduce transmission & distribution losses Simple, quick permitting process

Question 49

what do waste-to-energy systems focus on

Answer 49

normally organics (biomass),Plastics may also be a good source of energy – while they are petroleum based, disposal of these products has been difficult

Question 50

problem with combusting plastics

Answer 50

Combusting plastic without proper controls can result in increased CO2, but also the production of dioxins, furans, heavy metals (e.g. mercury) and polychlorinated biphenyls

Question 51

design principles for complete combustion

Answer 51

1. Temperatures must be very high and/or residence times must be very long in order to ensure that all material is reduced to constituent gases (CO, CO2, CH4, H2) as well as trace elements 2. Trace elements, including heavy metals, must be recovered and disposed of separately – this can be done by separating slag 3. Proper monitoring and reporting is required to ensure that plants are operated with a minimal impact on the surrounding environment

Question 52

why is there municipal reluctance

Answer 52

1. Municipalities not eager to sign up for long-term contracts 2. Communities highly concerned about the potential pollutants involved in combustion of waste streams 3. Many new technologies and players – difficult to know what the winner is 4. Very difficult to validate performance, particularly for small communities