Section 3: Environmental Chemistry

Test is March 27th

Bioaccumulation

the increasing concentration of the material in an organism over time.

Phytoremediation

clean up of the environment using plants.

Leachate

liquid that dissolves and carries substances as it passes through soil.

Anaerobic

processes or environments that do not require or contain oxygen.

Biomagnification

the increase in concentration of a chemical or element as it moves up the food chain.

Dilution

mixing of a substance with air or water (which reduces its concentration)

Aerobic

processes or environments that require or contain oxygen.

Permeable

fluids can flow through.

Dispersion

scattering of a substance away from its source.

Factors affecting air transport

• Pollutant’s properties

• Wind speed

• Direction of prevailing winds

• Precipitation

Photolysis

breakdown of compounds by sunlight.

Deposition

the laying down of sediment carried by wind, flowing water, the sea or ice

Crude Oil

(petroleum) a mixture of many chemicals. This includes Paraffin Wax, Asphalt & Methane.

WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)

a system of easy- to- see warning symbols on hazardous materials.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)

detailed information sheet about a potentially hazardous product.

Waste Collection Sites

where waste is collected in such a manner that does not allow harmful chemicals from entering the environment.

Transport of Consumer goods

when goods are transported to retailers through where the product is first bought

Transport

1. release of the chemical at the source

2. dispersion of the chemical in the atmosphere

3. deposition of the chemical in soil or water

Transport in Groundwater

Movement of underground water between soil grains

Factors Affecting Groundwater Transport

• Number of pores in the soil

• Connection of the pores

Substances that contaminate groundwater

Transport in Surface Water

The movement of water above ground to different water bodies

Transport in Soil

• evaporation

• absorption by plants

• runoff

• soaking into soil dissolving

Dispersion

scattering of a substance away from its source

Deposition

change of state from a gas to a solid

Water table

top of the groundwater zone

Permeable

fluids can flow through

Biodegradation

breakdown of materials by organisms like earthworms, bacteria, and fungi (through hydrolysis)

Factors affecting biodegradation

• Temperature (bacteria like it warm)

• Soil moisture (should be moist)

• pH (preferably between 5-8)

• oxygen supply (more O2 for aerobic bacteria)

• nutrient availability (cut grass has more nutrients than paper but both decompose)

Impact of oil spills on the environment

they get evaporated or dispersed into water. This can make water unsafe for aquatic organisms to live in & unsafe for any other organisms to ingest.

Impact of oil spills on people  

they leak into water sources & kill off the organisms we need for food sources, like fishing & hunting

New oil spill clean-up procedures

new & improved government regulations have been established to deal with future spills

Transport of Consumer goods 

when goods are transported to retailers through where the product is first bought

Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals

when chemicals cant normally be disposed of, they must be disposed of in an orderly manner

Waste Collection Sites

where waste is collected in such a manner that doesnt allow harmful chemicals from entering the environment

Hydrocarbons

emissions that contaminate soil by clogging up soil pores

Concentration of pollutants can be changed using

• Dispersion

• Dilution

• Biodegradation

• Phytoremediation

• Photolysis