Unit 8 Land & Water Pollution

Biological Oxygen Demand

amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials

eutrophication

A process by which nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, become highly concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria.

Anaerobic respiration

Respiration that does not require oxygen

Cadmium

toxic metal pollutant in e-waste

Methane

A gas produced by bacteria from hydrogen and carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas)

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Air pollution Formed when fossil fuels, which contain sulfur, are burned

Has the ability to dissolve in water vapor to form sulfuric acid and interact with the particulate matter and gases in the air to form other products

Primary Pollution

life-cycle analysis

A process that attempts to identify the effect a product has on resources over its entire lifetime. "cradle to grave"

closed-loop recycling

recycling a product into the same product

open-loop recycling

recycling one product into a different product

E-waste recycling

The process of recycling or reusing electronic devices to reduce waste and environmental harm

endocrine disruptors

chemicals that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones in an animal's body

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism.

Biomagnification

The increase in chemical concentration in animal tissues as the chemical moves up the food chain

tipping fees

Fees charged by a landfill for disposal of waste, typically quoted per ton.

mad cow disease

A disease in which prions mutate into deadly pathogens and slowly damage a cow's nervous system.

Tuberculosis

A disease caused by bacteria that are transmitted through coughing or sneezing.

plague

a bacterial disease carried by fleas on rodents that causes fever, vomiting, nasea

reduce

to use less of something

recycle

The process of making new products from materials that were used in another product.

filamentous algae

multicellular algae that are slender, rod shaped, and are indicator species of a low pH

Clean Water Act

Federal Law setting a national goal of making all natural surface water fit for fishing and swimming by 1983, banned polluted discharge into surface water and required the metals be removed from waste

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Management of hazardous solid waste including landfills and storage tanks. Minimal standards for all waste disposal facilities and for tracking hazardous wastes.

dissolved oxygen levels

The solubility of oxygen decreases as water temperature increases.

Methylmercury

highly toxic heavy metal that biomagnifies in aquatic ecosystems and contaminates humans largely through eating of [shell]fish; damages the central nervous system (esp. children/embryos) and leads to impaired coordination and sense of touch/taste/sight.

effluent

liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea.

floating booms

Inflatable tubes that surround the oil spill and prevents it from spreading. It works will with small spills and calm conditions

Turbidity

cloudiness of water

Mangroves

tropical trees that grow along coasts and help maintain the health of coastal environments

aquaculture

The cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions

clay

the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter.

Loam

Rich, fertile soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt.

Hypoxia

lack of oxygen

dead zone

In a body of water, an area with extremely low oxygen concentration and very little life

Incineration disadvantages

toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride, dioxins), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal (contains heavy metals)

Incineration advantages

volume of waste reduced by 90%, and waste heat can be used

Dioxins

Toxic chemical compounds formed when polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are heated or burned. Dioxins are also formed as by-products in the process of chlorinating phenols, which are used in producing herbicides & pesticides.

mangrove ecosystems

can protect against storm surges

habitats for wildlife

filtration of runoff

provisioning (wood)

climate regulation

ozone layer

Protective layer in the stratosphere that shields earth from UV radiation.

ozone in trophosphere

is bad - causes respiratory issues

Carcinogens are

Cancer causing agents

sludge

the solids that remain after the secondary treatment of sewage.

primary treatment

when physically treated sewage water is passed into a settling tank, where suspended solids settle out as sludge; chemically treated polymers may be added to help the suspended solids separate and settle out.

Cholera

an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food

biological vector

disease-carrying organism, such as a rat, mosquito, or fly, that spreads infectious disease

Teratogens

agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

compost

Partially decomposed organic plant and animal matter used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer.

hormone

Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another

Neurotoxins

toxic substances, such as lead or mercury, that specifically poison nerve cells

Carcinogen

A cancer-causing substance

sludge tank

part of the secondary sewage treatment where settled smaller particles of waste are collected and then deposited

aeration tank

secondary part of sewage treatment, where water is mixed with oxygen and bacteria

What rule change occurred for oil tankers due the the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

1. the exxon had a single-hull design where as new tankers must have a double-hull design with two steel walls to contain leaking oil

Briefly summarize the four main approaches to cleaning oil spills

Surface: 1) contain oil within area(using plastic walls) and suck it off surface, 2)apply chemicals to help break up and disperse oil before it hits the shoreline, 3) burn oil slicks(causes a lot of air pollution), 4)use genetically engineered bacteria that obtains energy by consuming oil; no agreed-upon way to remove underwater plumes

List the four types of nonchemical water pollution

solid waste, sediment, heat, noise

What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

large area of solid waste(mainly discarded plastics) floating in the North Pacific; currently it's around the size of texas

What percent of sediments in our waterways come from human activities?  List three of those activities...

70% come from humans; construction of buildings(digs up soil), plowing agriculture fields(erosion), Natural vegetation being removed from edge of water body and replaced with crops/animals that disturb ground

What damage do sediments in the river cause?

they become brown and cloudy, reduce infiltration of sunlight, can clog gills and sometimes hinder the ability of fish/aquatic creatures to obtain oxygen, where water slows the sediment settles and can block the gills of bottom dwellers(ex. Oysters and clams), sediments can contain nutrients which can lead to eutrophication

Why is heat considered a water pollutant?

when industries use water(which heats it up) and releases it back where it was from at an increased temp which affects the organisms in the water(sometimes causing thermal shock)

How has thermal pollution been remedied by some power plants?

Construction of cooling towers that release excess heat into the atmosphere instead of the water or have closed systems that recycle the water back in their systems

What is noise pollution and how can it impact aquatic ecosystems?

Noise Pollution: harmful or annoying levels of noise; sound emitted by ships and subs that interfere with animal communication are major concerns→ beached whales have been linked to use of military sonar and loud sounds disrupting their communication which results in them being beached

What is the Clean Water Act? What kinds of water does it apply to?

supports the “protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the water” by maintaining and, when necessary, restoring the chemical, physical, and biological properties of surface waters(does not include groundwaters)

What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?  What is an MCL?

SDWA: sets the national standards for safe drinking water, MCL=max contaminant levels→for 77 diff elements and substances in surface/ground waters

What is the challenge of waste disposal?

managing large volumes of waste with limited landfill space

Explain life-cycle analysis aka cradle-to-grave analysis

important systems tool that examines the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product

What gases are released during incineration of  food waste versus that food waste being left in a  landfill?

incineration: PM and NOx, Landfill:methane

What challenge exists when comparing the creation of a paper cup versus a plastic cup?

paper releases SO2 and plastic releases VOCS and both are bad for the environment so which is better to create?

Do all parts of the country manage the collection of waste the same way? How do they pay for their waste collection?

No, not all parts of the country collect waste the same way; some parts of the country cover waste collection with taxes where others have to pay directly for disposal of solid waste

What should a life-cycle analysis consider from an energy use perspective?

they should focus on primary vs secondary energy, renewable vs nonrenewable sources, and energy for material vs energy purposes

describe integrated waste management in at least 4 sentences.

There are 4 steps in this order manufacturing→uses→waste→disposal(either incineration or landfill); For manufacturing there can be changes in packaging design or manufacturing practices to reduce environmental harm/costs; For uses one can change their purchasing habits, do backyard composting, and increase reuse. For waste one can recycle or compost

leachate

A liquid that contains elevated levels of pollutants as a result of having passed through municipal solid waste or contaminated soil

Does a lot of decomposition happen in a landfill?

No, little composition occurs in landfills

Describe the 5 parts of a sanitary landfill using Figure 53.2 on page 588 to do so

a) Solid waste is transported to landfills

b) Waste is compacted by specialized machine

c) Leachate collection system removes water and contaminates and carries them to a watershed treatment plant

d) Landfill is capped with soil and then planted with vegetation

e) Methane produced in closed cells is extracted and either burned off or collected for use as fuel

Why is clay often used as a liner for a sanitary landfill?

Bc it impeded water flow and retains positively charged ions such as metals

What is a tipping fee?

Fee for waste delivery to the landfill to cover cost of creating the landfill

Explain some of the considerations that need to go into siting a landfill

Should be located in a loam or clay loam soil lined with clay or plastic to reduce migration of contaminants; away from rivers, streams, and other bodies of water/drinking water; far away from population centers so waste trucks and scavenger animals present minimal risk to people(but not too far so energy costs aren’t too high to transport)

What is ash?

PM that is the end product of combustion of solid waste

Differentiate between bottom ash & fly ash

Residue collected underneath the furnace is Bottom Ash and residue collected beyond the furnace is called Fly Ash

What is waste-to-energy?

When heat generated by incineration is used rather than released to the surrounding environment

Why do some environmental scientists believe that incinerators are a poor solution to solid waste disposal?

Bc they produce air pollution as well as ash that is more concentrated and thus more toxic than original MSW as well as→To cover costs of construction and operation, incineration facilities have larger tipping fees, they can release air pollutants such as org compounds from incomplete combustion and metals in solid waste when burned

Describe what detritivores do for the ecosystem.

recycle waste from animals and plants; they use the energy and nutrients they obtain and turn the remainder into compost or humus that nourishes other orgs

When did the US become “The Throw-Away Society”?

Around WWII

What is planned obsolescence?

process of designing a product so that it will need to be replaced within a few years

Approximately how much MSW is recovered before it enters a landfill incinerator?

35%

Explain the difference between closed-loop recycling and open-loop recycling

Closed Loop:recycling of a product into the same product(technically can go on forever); Open Loop: one product is recycled into another product(do not reduce demand for the raw material to make previous object)

Neurotoxins

chemicals that disrupt the nervous systems of animals

Carcinogens

chemicals that cause cancer

Teratogens

chemicals that interfere with normal development of embryos and fetuses

Allergens

chemicals that cause allergic reactions

Endocrine disruptors

chemicals that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones in an animal’s body

What is a dose-response study?

they expose animals or plants to different amounts of chemicals and then look for a variety of possible responses including mortality or changes in behavior or reproduction

What is meant by LD50 and ED50?

 LD50-lethal dose that kills 50% of the individuals in a dose-response study; ED50-effective dose that causes 50% of the individuals in a dose-response to display a harmful, but nonlethal, effect

What is a synergistic interaction?

two risks together cause more harm than expected based on separate effects of each risk alone

Distinguish between bioaccumulation and biomagnification

bioaccumulation: increased concentration of a chemical within an organism over time; biomagnification: increase in chemical concentration in the animal tissues as the chemical moves up the food chain

Are all strains of E.coli bacteria deadly? Explain

No, most strains live in our digestive system and help us digest food, however some strains produce a chemical called shiga toxin that causes ppl to become sick

What is the difference between an acute disease and a chronic disease?

acute:rapidly impair the functioning of a person’s body; chronic: slowly impair the functioning of a person’s body

what are the 3 leading causes of death in the world?

cardiovascular diseases, cancers, infectious diseases

what are the top 3 health risks in low and high income

1. low-income countries Answer: childhood underweight, high blood pressure, unsafe sex

High-income countries  Answer: Tobacco use, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity

What do we need to do to combat disease in low and high income countries

1. Low-income countries? Answer: improve nutrition, wider availability of clean drinking water, proper sanitation

High-income countries? Answer: promote healthier life styles, balanced diet, limit excess food consumption and tobacco use