Cluster C

What are some different forms of mining? What are some descriptions of each?

Strip Mining: Ore deposits like coal

Open Pit Mining: Ore body near the surface

Underground: Ore body is buried

Placer Mining/ Hydraulic Mining: Intentional erosion which is damaging to the ecosystem

Describe the different types of environmental agents

Biological: living organism that causes disease by infecting and multiplying within the body

• Germs and parasites (malaria, covid)

• Bacteria

• Viruses

Chemical: Solid/liquid/gas

• organic

• metals

• acids

Physical: energy

• radiation

• energy

• noise

• hot/cold

• radio or microwave

Describe the different types of environmental media

Water

• ground

• surface

Air

• indoor

• outdoor

Food

• Danger range is 40-140 degrees F

Soil

Surfaces

• Fomites

How does the chemical form (Solid, liquid, gas) of a pollutant influence the transport of pollutants and the type of pollution release emergency planning that is needed?

Solids move slow but predictable

Waters move faster but still predictable

Gas, in the air, moves the fastest and unpredictably

Health effects can be grouped into 2 different types of responses based on what exposure (or dose) the risk of a health effect starts increasing. Describe them

Threshold effect: up to a certain exposure level, there’s no risk

Non-threshold effect agent: any exposure increases risk

Describe the sources of health effects data

Natural or anthropogenic (humanmade)

Stationary or mobile: mobile not big problem individually but together

Point or area: factory or runoff

describe how a circuit works and how electricity can be used to do different types of work for us.

1. A circuit is a path that allows electricity to flow.

2. For electricity to flow, the circuit needs a power source (like a battery) and conductors (like wires).

3. The flow of electricity is called current.

4. Electricity can be used to do different types of work for us like…

   1. Heat, sound, motion, data, and light

To do scientific risk assessment you need two types of data. Describe them.

1. Exposure assessment

   • intensity

   • duration

   • frequency

   • route

2. Health effect info

   • does response

   • exposure response

   • info from epidemiology studies

Describe the considerations that go into managing environment risk

Risk management: What to do about the risk

Risks are perceived as much as acceptable/ less risk

Risks are perceived as less acceptable/ higher risk

describe the type of agent of primary concern for human health worldwide in water systems. What are the health effected associated with this agent

The primary agents of concern for human health in water systems worldwide are biological agents

• diarrhea

• bacteria/viruses

1. What type of environmental agent is removed very effectively by modern water and wastewater treatment systems? What type of environmental agent is not? Describe why this is the case. 

Municipal water treatment plants can effectively remove biological contaminants (solids like bacteria, sediment, and organic) through physical processes like screening and sedimentation, but not chemical contaminants because they are dissolved in the water. They require advanced treatment methods to effectively eliminate them because they are difficult to filter out due to their small size and molecular structure. Larger particles are easier to remove through physical processes than smaller, dissolved molecules. 

Describe why groundwater is generally more cleaner of biological contaminants than surface water

• rain water percolates through soil layers

  • the natural filtration process of the rock and the sediment effectively removes most bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in the water

  • Acts as a natural barrier against pollutants

• Surface water is typically more exposed because it not does have a good filtration system

What category of chemical agent is of growing concern in water supplies? Why is this a problem even in areas where drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment systems are good?

Chemicals agents such as

• pharmaceuticals

• endocrine disruptors

This is a problem because wastewater treatment systems and drinking water treatments aren’t able to process and filtrate these chemical agents as much as other agents due to dissolving in water.

Describe the chemical process that is the primary contributor to air pollution and why it produces combustion.

Combustion is the primary contributor to air pollution because it reverses the photosynthesis process

Releases harmful gases and articles into the environment

When fuel burns, its reacts with oxygen

Briefly describe the two primary US laws that address the two types of problems that arise from hazardous wastes

1. CERCLA- comprehensive environmental response compensation and liability act (emergencies)

   1. When an uncontrolled hazardous waste site is found or there is a big spill, people under this act react

2. RCRA- resource conservation and recovery act (regular operations)

   1. Establishes regulations to prevent future things like Love Canal

Describe why climate change is a justice issue.

1. Those least responsible are the most affected (poor, poor and developing countries)

2. Impacts water security

3. Food availability and prices increase