ESS Topic 4.4

Flashcards about water pollution

Aquatic pollutants

Include floating debris, organic material, inorganic plant nutrients, toxic metals, synthetic compounds, suspended solids, hot water, oil, radioactive pollution (mining sites, radioactive waste sites), pathogens, light, noise and biological pollutants (ιnvasive species).

Freshwater pollutants

Runoff, sewage, industrial discharge, and solid domestic waste.

Marine pollutants

Pollutants entering through rivers, pipelines, the atmosphere, and activities at sea (land-based discharge, atmospheric inputs, maritime transport, oil exploration and production, and dumping).

Water quality

Measurement of chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water.

Water quality is measured by pH, temperature, turbidity, metal and nitrates / phosphate levels

Secchi Disk

A tool used to measure water clarity by recording the depth at which the disk disappears and reappears.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Measures the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down organic material in a given volume of water through aerobic biological activity.

Indicator species

Species that can indicate whether pollution is present or not in an environment.

Biotic index

Indirectly measures pollution by assessing the impact on species within the community according to their tolerance, diversity and relative abundance.

Eutrophication

Occurs when lakes, estuaries and coastal waters receive inputs of mineral nutrients (norm from detergents, fertilizers, livestock farming, sewage, and top soil erosion into water), especially nitrates and phosphates, often causing excessive growth of phytoplankton whihc then deplets the body of water of oxygen .

-Europication normally causes hypoxic or anoxic conditions which causes the aquatic environments to loose their biodiversity, and excess of dead animals —> increases turbidity.

Impacts of Eutrophication

1. decomposition of animals release Co2 —> lowers pH of water (acidification)

2. water becomes more noxious (foul smelling) —> lower water quality

3. Fish populations are affected by H2O pH and Turbidity

4. Drinking water may be tainted

5. recreational (swimming and other water sports) activity may be reduced

6. Food chain may shorten or collapse

7. More dead plants

Red tides

A type of algal bloom caused by phytoplankton that produces toxins, killing fish and accumulating in shellfish, which can harm humans.

Dead zones

Areas with not enough oxygen to support life.

Hypoxia

Oxygen-poor conditions that cause physical stress to animals.

Anoxia

Conditions with no oxygen, which can kill animals.

Water pollution strategies

Reduction) Reduce the production of pollutants by human activities

Regulation) Regulate the release of pollutants into environments

Restore) Restore polluted environments / ecosystems

Plastic debris accumulation

Accumulation of plastic in marine environments; requires management to remove plastics from the supply chain and to clean up existing pollution.

Gyres

Large systems of rotating ocean currents where plastic accumulates.

Effects of plastic accumulation on environment

1. many animals mistake plastic for food and ingest it —> lead to malnutrition and death

2. Many animals can become entangled in plastic debris and cause death

3. Some plastics can transport invasive species into other environments

4. Plastics release harmful chemicals and additives (BPA ) into the water —> interfere with reproductive cycle of marine life

Effects of Oceanic Plastic accumulation on Humans

1. Plastic pollutants decrease water quality and reduce potable water sources

2. polluted coasts and oceans deter tourists —> reduces income on ecotourism

3. Plastic pollution can interfere with recreational activities

Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

Processes where concentrations of microplastics and their associated toxins increase up the food chain.