Water Pollutants

What is Dissolved Oxygen?

The O2 gas in between water molecules

What is Nitrate?

A plant nutrient (NO3-)

What is Biological Oxygen Demand? (BOD)

The demand for oxygen in the water

What is phosphate?

A plant nutrient (PO43-)

What is low pH?

High amounts of hydrogen ions in a solution

What is mercury?

A heavy metal (Hg)

What is sediment/turbidity?

Cloudiness of water

What is heat/thermal pollution?

Warm or hot water discharged into water

Source of Dissolved Oxygen

Aeration (riffles, waterfalls, etc), photosynthesis, low temperature

Source of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Biodegradable organic waste that causes an increase of bacteria

Source of Nitrate

Dead organisms, sewage, animal manure, fertilizers

Source of phosphate

Dead organisms, sewage, animal manure, fertilizers, detergents

Source of low pH

Source of Atrazine

Farms

Source of fecal coliform

Mammal waste/poop (natural, farms,

Source of total chlorine

Added to sewage treatments effluent to kill pathogens

Source of lead

Old pipes, gasoline, runoff from waste dumps

Source of mercury

Coal combustion, incinerator, unlined landfill

Source of sediment/turbidity

Soil erosion and stir-up

Source of heat/thermal pollution

Nuclear power plant or other industrial plant

Environmental concerns of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Decreased BOD leads to fish kills

Environmental concerns of Nitrate and phosphate

Algae bloom leads to low DO levels and fish kills

Enviromental concerns of Mercury

Bioaccu

Environmental concerns of sediment/turbidity

Less sunlight penetration heats up water, so less DO

Environmental concerns of heat/thermal pollution

Thermal shock to aquatic organisms

Health concerns of dissolved oxygen

Low DO can be a sign of fecal contamination

Health concerns of

Health concerns of Nitrate

Blue Baby Syndrome

Health concerns of Atrazine

Potential endocrine disruptor, carcinogen, low sperm count

Health concerns of fecal coliform

Health concerns of total chlorine

Reacts with organic compounds to form carcinogenic THM’s

Health concerns of Lead

Delays in brain development, high blood pressure, and kidney problems

Health concerns of mercury

Severe birth defects and neurological problems

Health concerns of sediment/turbidity

Diseases or heavy metals can be attached