water pollution

Question 1

What are the effects of Lead?

Answer 1

Damages brain and nervous system; found in old paint, pipes, and gasoline.

Question 2

What are the effects of Arsenic?

Answer 2

Causes cancer; found in mining areas and natural groundwater.

Question 3

What are the effects of Mercury?

Answer 3

Neurotoxin from coal-burning; builds up in fish.

Question 4

What are PCBs?

Answer 4

Cancer-causing; banned industrial chemical that pollutes water.

Question 5

What are PFAs?

Answer 5

Do not break down; found in waterproof and non-stick products.

Question 6

What is DDT?

Answer 6

Banned insecticide that weakened bird eggshells (e.g., eagles).

Question 7

What are Perchlorates?

Answer 7

Affect thyroid; come from rocket fuel and explosives.

Question 8

What are the effects of Pharmaceuticals?

Answer 8

Disrupt hormones in fish; enter water through sewage.

Question 9

What are the effects of Pesticides?

Answer 9

Run off from farms; harm non-target species.

Question 10

What are PBDEs?

Answer 10

Found in electronics and furniture; may disrupt hormones.

Question 11

What are the sources of Oil Pollution?

Answer 11

Spills from tankers, drilling rigs, pipelines.

Question 12

What is Biological Oil Cleanup?

Answer 12

Oil-eating bacteria (bioremediation).

Question 13

What is Chemical Oil Cleanup?

Answer 13

Dispersants break oil into droplets.

Question 14

What is Physical Oil Cleanup?

Answer 14

Booms, skimmers, absorbents.

Question 15

What is Thermal Pollution?

Answer 15

Hot water from power plants lowers oxygen in water.

Question 16

What is Noise Pollution?

Answer 16

Disrupts whale/dolphin communication and navigation.

Question 17

What is Sediment Pollution?

Answer 17

Cloudy water from erosion blocks light and harms fish.

Question 18

What is Solid Waste Pollution?

Answer 18

Includes plastic, paper, metals; often non-biodegradable.

Question 19

What is the Clean Water Act?

Answer 19

Protects surface water from pollution.

Question 20

What is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?

Answer 20

Sets drinking water safety standards.

Question 21

What is RCRA?

Answer 21

Manages hazardous waste from creation to disposal.

Question 22

What is CERCLA?

Answer 22

Cleans up toxic sites; holds polluters responsible.

Question 23

What is Organic Waste?

Answer 23

Comes from sewage, food, yard waste.

Question 24

What are Indicator Species?

Answer 24

Sensitive organisms that show water quality (e.g., trout, mayflies).

Question 25

What are the impacts of Organic Waste?

Answer 25

Causes eutrophication and spreads pathogens.

Question 26

What are the sources of Organic Waste?

Answer 26

Sewage, agriculture, plant/animal decay.

Question 27

What are the basics of a Septic System?

Answer 27

Tank stores solids; leach field filters water underground.

Question 28

What is the first step in Wastewater Treatment (WWTP)?

Answer 28

Screening removes large solids (physical).

Question 29

What is the Biological step in WWTP?

Answer 29

Microbes break down organic waste.

Question 30

What is the Chemical step in WWTP?

Answer 30

Chlorine or ozone disinfects water.

Question 31

What is the composition of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)?

Answer 31

Mostly paper, food waste, plastics, metals, yard debris.

Question 32

What are the ways to handle waste?

Answer 32

Landfill, incineration, composting, recycling.

Question 33

What are the concerns with Landfills?

Answer 33

Methane gas, groundwater pollution (leachate).

Question 34

What are the concerns with Incineration?

Answer 34

Air pollution, toxic ash, high cost.