apes unit 8

Point source solution

A single identifiable source of a pollutant, Easier to manage due to identifiable location.

Examples Of Point Source Pollutant

Smokestacks, waste, discharge pipes

NonPoint Source Pollution

Pollution that comes from many diffuse sources. Harder to regulate due to the lack of a specific origin.

Non Point Source Pollution examples

agricultural runoff, urban runoff

Specific Point Source Pollution Examples and what they produce

Emissions from smokestacks produce CO2, NOx, SO2 .

Specific Nonpoint Source Pollution examples

Urban runoff such as motor oil, road salt, sediment. Pesticides carried by wind and washed into water bodies

Pollutant

Specific chemicals with identifiable sources and distinct environmental and health effects.

• Pollution

General term for harmful substances affecting the environment.

Eutrophication process

Because they’re limiting nutrients in aquatic ecosystems, extra input of N & P lead to eutrophication (excess nutrients) which fuels algae growth. Algae bloom covers surface of water, blocking sunlight & killing plants below surface

POPs

Persistent organic pollutants

• Synthetic (human-made) compounds that do not easily break down in the environment; accumulate and buildup in water and soil

Oligotrophic waterways

Waterways with low nutrient (N/P) levels, stable algae pop, and high dissolved oxygen

Oligotrophic process

• Can be due to lack of nutrient pollution, or age of the body of water

• Aquatic ecosystems naturally undergo succession

  • Sediment buildup on bottom (benthic zone) leads to higher nutrient levels

  • Overtime, ponds naturally shift from oligotrophic, to mesotrophic, to eutrophic

Dissolved Oxygen

Decrease In Dissolved Oxygen (hypoxia) is what causes a dead zone

As dissolved oxygen decreases what happens?

Fewer species can be supported as Most fish require at least 3.0 ppm to survive, 6.0 ppm to reproduce

Thermal Pollution:

When heat released into the water has negative effects on organism living in the water.

Thermal Shock

Heat increases the respiration of aquatic organisms. Fatal stress is imposed onto the organisms when the water temperature changes.

Thermal Pollution source example

Nuclear power plants as they especially require large amounts of cool water to cool steam back into water & to cool the reactor core.

How can POPS affect the human body?

Can slowly be released from fatty tissue into the bloodstream and impact brain & organs over time (especially reproductive system)

Recycling

processing and converting solid waste material into new products

Pros of recycling

-Reduces demand for new materials, especially metals and wood which cause habitat destruction & soil erosion when harvested

-Reduces energy required to ship raw materials and produce new products (fewer FF comb, less CC)

-Reduces landfill volume, conserving landfill space & reducing need for more landfills

Cons of Recycling

• Recycling is costly and still requires significant energy

• Cities that offer recycling services need to process, sort, and sell collected materials; prices change rapidly, leading to “recycled” materials often being thrown away

• When citizens recycle items that shouldn’t be recycled (wrappers with food, styrofoam, etc.) it increases the cost for cities to sort & process

LD50

the dose or concentration of the chemical that kills 50% being studied

Water Treatment process

Primary, secondary, tertiary treatment and disenfectant.

Primary treatment

Physical removal of large debris using a screen or a grate

Secondary treatment

Biological breakdown of organic matter (feces) by bacteria; aerobic process that requires O2

Tertiary treatment

Ecological or chemical treatments to reduce pollutants/“nutrients”(nitrate, phosphate, ammonia)

Sludge

inorganic, solid waste that collects at the bottom of tanks in primary and secondary treatment

Bioaccumulation

Absorption and concentration of compounds in the cells and fat tissues of organisms

Bio accumulation process

Because fat-soluble compounds like POPs and methylmercury don’t dissolve easily in water, they don’t enter blood easily & don’t leave in urine easily

• Instead they build up in tissue

• This leads to them building up to reach higher and higher concentrations in the organism over time

Biomagnification

Increasing concentrations of fat-soluble compounds like methylmercury and POPs in each level up the trophic pyramid or food web/chain