Chapter 20: Water Pollution

What can be described as the introduction of chemical, physical, or biological agents into water that worsen water quality and harm marine organisms?

water pollution

Which type of pollution is released from ONE source?

point source pollution

Name TWO examples of point source pollution:

wastewater treatment plant and oil tanker

Which type of pollution results from many sources?

nonpoint source pollution

Name TWO examples of nonpoint source pollution:

farm runoff and storm sewers

Which type of water pollutant includes acids, salts, endocrine disruptors, etc?

water-soluble inorganic chemicals

Name the THREE main types of water-soluble inorganic chemicals:

acids, salts, toxic metals & chemicals; endocrine disruptors; organic chemicals

Name the THREE effects of endocrine disruptors:

birth defects, developmental disorders, gender imbalances

Name FIVE types of organic chemicals:

oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides, detergents

Which type of water pollutant consists of organic wastes decomposed aerobically?

oxygen-demanding wastes

What are oxygen-demanding wastes measured by?

biological oxygen demand (BOD)

What is the amount of oxygen needed for decomposition?

biological oxygen demand (BOD)

What is a plot of dissolved oxygen levels vs the distance from a pollution source (usually excess nutrients and biological refuse)?

oxygen sag curve

What are areas of low oxygen caused by increased nutrient pollution (aka hypoxic areas)?

oceanic dead zones

Which type of water pollutant consists of nitrates, phosphates, and fertilizers?

inorganic plant nutrients

Which type of water pollutant is a disease-causing agent?

pathogen

Name FOUR types of pathogens:

bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasitic worms

Which type of water pollutant is a chemical leading to developmental issues?

endocrine disruptor

Which type of water pollutant is suspended material measured by turbidity?

sediment

Which type of water pollutant harms living things through bioaccumulation?

heavy metals

Which type of water pollutant lowers DO and immune responses of organisms, also known as thermal shock?

thermal pollution

Why do streams and rivers rapidly recover from pollution?

they have continuous flow and dilution from surface runoff

What is the name of the toxic dinoflagellate thriving with high nutrient loads from livestock, causing fish kills in NC?

Pfiesteria

What are man-made chemicals known as PFAS that stay in the environment for long periods of time?

forever chemicals

What is ordained by the Safe Drinking Water Act?

EPA should release a recommended limit for drinking water at .004 ppm by 2028

Why are lakes and reservoirs vulnerable to pollution?

they have stratified layers with little mixing, with pollutant accumulation and decreases in DO

What is natural nutrient enrichment from surrounding land ending up in lakes?

eutrophication (natural algal blooms)

What is the accelerate input of nutrients due to human activity in lakes?

cultural eutrophication

Which 1982 treaty involved 134 nations with standards for country controls over economic activity and environmental preservation?

The Law of the Sea Treaty

85% of ocean pollution is from…

land activities

Most oil pollution in the seas is from…

land runoff

Name FIVE oil clean up methods:

floating booms (contain), skimmers (vacuum), absorbent pads, coagulation agents (oil clump), dispersing agents (break oil slick)

Which offshore oil spill occurred in Alaska in 1989, spilling 11 million gallons?

Exxon Valdez oil spill

What is the largest oil spill in the US, with 206 million gallons of oil in Louisiana treated with dispersants?

Deepwater Horizon

Why is groundwater contamination a huge concern?

groundwater flows slowly with limited dilution and dispersion (takes long time to clean)

Sewage in rural and suburban areas is discharged using…

septic tanks

Wastes in urban areas travel to…

wastewater treatment plants

What is the mechanical process using screens to filter debris in sewage?

primary sewage treatment

What is the biological process using aerobic bacteria to remove 90% of biodegradable and oxygen-demanding organic wastes?

secondary sewage treatment

What are a series of specialized chemical processes that remove water pollutant after primary and secondary treatments?

advanced sewage treatment

Name FOUR groundwater protection methods:

monitor aquifers, leak detection systems, ban hazardous waste disposal, aboveground storage of hazardous liquids

Which law set water pollutant standards and requires permits for pollutants discharged into aquatic systems?

Clean Water Act of 1972

Name THREE sustainable water use methods:

source reduction (less toxicity), wastewater reuse, recycling pollutants