1. Water Pollution

2. Water Pollution
Sources and Examples
Water Quality
Health Effects

3. Sources Two Types: Point sources and nonpoint sources
Ex: Point: sewage plants; nonpoint: runoff
Examples of sources:
Chemicals (metals, solvents, oils)
Air pollution
Microbiological sources
Mining
Noise
Nutrients
Oil spills
Oxygen depleting substances (biodegradable)
Suspended matter
Thermal sources
hormones

4. Water Quality
1. Cultural Eutrophication: the process by which human activity increases the amount of nutrients entering surface water. (nitrogen and phosphorus) nutrients= algae = DEAD ZONES
(oligotrophic = low nutrients Eutrophic= high nutrients)
2. Tests to monitor water quality:
Nitrogen (Fertilizers)
Chlorine (disinfects)
Hardness (usually caused by calcium and magnesium)
Copper (fertilizers, septic tanks and industrial waste)
DO (dissolved oxygen) flowing = increase (closer to surface)
Phosphate: fertilizers
pH: needs to be close to 7
3. EPA Standards
Primary: health concerns
Secondary: aesthetics

5. We will be testing water on Friday. If you have water you want to test
We will be testing water on Friday. If you have water you want to test. Bring it and we will test it
Awesome Video

6. Effects Infectious diseases Spread of disease: epidemic vs. pandemic
Chronic: slowly impairs the function
Acute: rapidly impairs function
Spread of disease: epidemic vs. pandemic
Epidemic: rapid increase of a disease
Pandemic: the disease spreads to other places
Toxicology: study of harmful chemicals
Neurotoxins- disrupt the nervous system ( lead and mercury)
Carcinogens: cause cancer (radon, formaldehyde)
Teratogens: interfere with embryo development
Allergens: cause an allergic reaction (not pathogens)
Endocrine disruptors: interfere with normal hormone function (cleaning products and household goods)
Biomagnification: the increase of a chemical in animal tissues as it moves up the food chanin.

7. What can be done? Water treatment
Septic Tanks: two parts- septic tank and leach field.
Sewage treatment plant:
Primary (reduces oils, includes sand catchers, screens, and sedimentation)
Secondary (gets rid of the biological content) includes: filters, activated sludge, filter (oxidizing) beds, trickling filter beds, and secondary sedimentation.
tertiary treatments(final stage before releasing into the environment. May include: filtration, lagooning, constructed wetlands, nutrient removal through biological or chemical precipitation, denitrification using bacteria, phosphorous removal using bacteria, microfilration and disinfection using UV, chlorine or ozone.

8. Treatment Methods and remediation technologies
Adsorption
Disinfection
Filtration
Flocculation
Ion Exchange
Aeration
Air stripping
Bioreactors
Constructed wetlands
Deep-well injections
Enhanced bioremediation
Fluid-vapor extraction
Granulated activated carbon
Hot water flushing
In-well air stripping
phytoremediation
UV oxidation

9. Legislation
Stockholm Convention: (2001): a group of 127 countries gathered in Sweden. 12 chemicals were banned, phased out or reduced. (the “the dirty dozen”)
Clean Water Act: (1972) issued water quality standards that defined acceptable limits of various pollutants in US waterways. (Surface water not ground water)
Safe Drinking Water Act: (1974, 1986, 1996) sets the national standards for safe drinking water. (MCL: maximum contaminant levels)

10. Noise Pollution
Causes: Human created sound that disrupts the environment. (transportation, factories, appliances, audio entertainment systems)
Health Effects: hearing loss, cardiovascular problems, decrease in ability to memorize, nervousness, pupil dilation, decrease in visual field, insomnia, bulimia, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction.
Control: noise barriers (trees) and new technologies.

11. Solid Waste Types: Uses in the US: Disposal and Reduction Flow Chart
Organic: kitchen waste, vegetables, flowers (usually decomposes in 2 wks ** Wood can take up to years)
Radioactive: spent fuel rods, smoke detectors (100 of thousands of years)
Recyclable: paper, glass, metals, and some plastics. (paper- 10 days, glass- never, metals years, plastics- some up to 1 million years)
Soiled: hospital waste (cotton cloth-2-5 months)
Toxic: paints, chemicals, pesticides (100’s of years.)
Uses in the US:
Disposal and Reduction Flow Chart

12. Solid Waste Choices to disposal:
Burning, incineration or energy recovery
Detoxify
Exporting
Land disposal(land fills)
Land disposal (open dumping)
Ocean dumping
Recycling
Reuse