APES Unit 8 Vocab & Laws

algal bloom

algal bloom

rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems

bioaccumulation

process by which toxins or pollutants build up in the tissues of an organism over time, often at a rate faster than they can be eliminated

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by microorganisms during the decomposition of organic matter in water

biomagnification

increasing concentration of toxic substances as they move up through different trophic levels in a food chain

this happens bc the higher trophic levels eat prey with accumulated toxins

coral bleaching

occurs when corals expel their symbiotic algae due to stressors like increased water temperature or pollution

NOT ocean acidification.

dead zone

areas in bodies of water where oxygen levels are extremely low or completely depleted, leading to a lack of aquatic life

dose response curve

curve shows the relationship between the dose of a chemical and the response of the organism or population

endocrine disruptors

chemicals/substances that interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system, which regulates hormones in the body

these disruptors can mimic or block hormones, leading to adverse health effects

eutrophication

excessive growth of algae and other plants due to an increase in nutrients (NPK!), leading to dead zones in bodies of water

great pacific garbage patch

large area in the North Pacific Ocean where marine debris, primarily made up of plastic waste, accumulates due to ocean currents (gyres)

hypoxic

region within a body of water where dissolved oxygen levels are below the threshold required for most aquatic organisms to survive

LD50

stands for "lethal dose 50%" and refers to the DOSAGE (amount) of a substance that is estimated to be lethal to 50% of the test population

used to determine toxicity level of a substance

mangroves

a type of wetland characterized by salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that grow along coastlines & estuaries

mesothelioma

form of cancer that develops in the lining of certain organs, most commonly the lungs or abdomen

commonly caused by asbestos

methylmercury

HIGHLY toxic form of mercury that forms when bacteria reacts with mercury in waster, soil, or plants

also forms when mercury combines with carbon-containing compounds

bioaccumulates

oligotrophic

bodies of water that have low nutrient concentrations, resulting in clear and oxygen-rich conditions

support a diverse range of aquatic life, including fish species!!

oxygen sag curve

represents the decrease in dissolved oxygen levels downstream from a pollution source

pathogen

microorganisms, such as viruses and bacteria, that can cause disease in living organisms

persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

toxic chemicals that persist in the environment for long periods of time and can bioaccumulate in living organisms

often to referred to as "forever chemicals"

primary treatment

first step in the process of sewage treatment

involves the physical separation of solid and liquid waste using screens and sedimentation tanks to remove large objects & debris

sanitary municipal landfill

engineered waste disposal sites where solid waste is carefully placed in layers and compacted to reduce volume

secondary treatment

second stage of sewage treatment where microorganisms break down organic matter in wastewater through biological processes

septic system

underground wastewater treatment system common in homes not connected to a municipal sewage system

separates solid waste from wastewater and allows natural processes to break down the waste before it enters the drain field

tertiary treatment

advanced stage after primary & secondary treatment

additional processes to further remove nutrients, pathogens, and other contaminants from treated water before it is discharged into the environment

waste water

water that contains waste from residential, commercial, and industrial processes

contains sewage, gray water (e.g., water from sinks and showers), and sometimes industrial wastewater from small industries

anoxic

no oxygen / dissolved oxygen. at all.

LC50

stands for "lethal concentration 50%)

exposure CONCENTRATION of a toxic substance lethal to 50% of the test subjects

planned obsolescence

strategy used by companies to design products with a limited lifespan so that consumers will need to replace them more frequently

malaria

disease (mostly found in tropical countries) caused by a parasite transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes

damages the kidneys or liver or cause the spleen to rupture

CERCLA (Superfund Act)

passed in 1980

does 2 things:

• imposes taxes on chemical and petroleum industries

• funds cleanup of non-operating hazardous waste sites using concept of a superfund

RCRA (Resource Conservation & Recovery Act)

passed in 1976 and gives the EPA authority to control any hazardous waste at all stages (cradle-to-grave!!!!!!)

Safe Drinking Water Act

passed in 1974 and allows for the EPA to set health standards in order to protect Americans from possible water contaminants

protects sources of DRINKING water

Clean Water Act

passed in 1972 and makes it unlawful for anyone to discharge any without permit & controls the US waterways

main goal of this act is to get to the point where all water is "fishable and swimmable"

MPRSA (Open Dumping Act)

passed in 1972 to regulate & prohibit the dumping of materials into the ocean that would unreasonably degrade/endanger human health & the marine environment

Brownfield (Amendment Act)

amended the Superfund Act (CERCLA)

created by the EPA to assist state + local governments in cleaning up contaminated industrial and commercial land that did not achieve conditions necessary to be in the superfund category