apes 8.1-8.3

Point source

A single, identifiable source of a pollutant

Nonpoint source

Contributions from many sources accumulating over a wide area, eventually reaching levels that effect water quality

Biological oxygen demand (BOD)

The amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over a period of time

Booms (containment)

Keep the floating oil from spreading, then boats equipped with giant oil vacuums suck up as much oil as possible

Dispersant/detergents

Chemicals that break up the oil on the surface, making it disperse before it hits the shoreline

Bioremediation

A particular bacterium consumes oil

Sedimentation

The natural process by which particles settle out of a fluid, such as water or air, and accumulate as a layer of sediment.

Turbidity

a measure of how cloudy or murky a liquid is due to the presence of suspended particles that scatter and absorb light.

Persistent organic pollutants (POP’s)

Toxic chemical substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and pose serious risks to human health and the ecosystem.

Bioaccumulation

the process by which toxic substances build up in the tissues of living organisms over time, often faster than the body can break them down or eliminate them.

Biomagnification

The process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases as they move up the food chain.

Synthetic organic chemicals

Man-made chemicals that are carbon-based

Endocrine disruptions

Bisphenol-A looks and acts like estrogen

The pesticide treadmill

a term used to describe a cycle of increasing pesticide use that farmers can get caught in when pests develop resistance to chemical treatments

Desalinization

Conserving salt water to freshwater

Depletion

to use up or reduce the quantity of something, especially a resource, supply, or material, often to the point where it becomes scarce or exhausted.

Diversion (interbasin transfers)

Engineer, artificial projects designed to move surface water from one river basin to another

Distillation

Heating salt water -> evaporates->salt left->condenses back into freshwater

Dysentery

Spread by fecal contamination with bacteria sp. shigella that causes inflammation and ulcers

Cholera

Spread by fecal containing with bacteria sp. Vibrio cholera that causes profuse watery diarrhea that leads to rapid dehydration

Clean water act of 1972

Protects water by maintaining and restoring its natural chemical, physical, and biological properties

Safe drinking water act of 1974

Sets the national standards for safe drinking water

Septic tank

Large container that receives house’s wastewater and separates it into three layers

Leach field

Underground perorated pipes laid out below surface where bacteria degrade effluent and recycle nutrients

Gray water

Wastewater that comes from non-toilet household sources, such as sinks, showers, bathtubs, and washing machines