envi sci 3/4 final questions

how to most efficiently use land

no land reserved for animal use

beneficiation

process of treating ore to improve its quality and make it more suitable for smelting or other refining processes

soil profile

O horizon: humus

A horizon: leeching

B horizon: zone of accumulation

C horizon: weathered bedrock

perennials vs annuals

save water, less erosion

pros and cons of dams and other water diversion projects

sediment buildup, generate electricity, stagnant water

Socal water comes from

10% the ground, 40% colorado river, Ca water project- sacramento watershed, Eastern sierra watershed, Feather River

Water pollutant categories

• Infectious agents: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, etc

• Oxygen demanding wastes: animal manure, plant debris, sewage

• Inorganic chemicals: water soluble acids, lead, arsenic, selenium, salts

• Organic chemicals: petroleum products/derivatives, pesticides, cleaning solvents, detergents

• Plant nutrients: nitrates, phosphates, sewage, manure, agricultural runoff, urban fertilizers

• Sediment: #1 water pollutant by mass, silt and other soil components, erosion from land areas

• Radioactive materials: isotopes like iodine, uranium, radon, cesium, thorium, mercury

• Heat: water cooling/ridding water used in cooling electric power plants

Major water quality indicators

DO levels, presence of fecal coliform bacteria, filter feeders

O2 sag curve- ex sewage treatment overflow- microorganism population increases, oxygen decreases; recovery depends on volume of water, flow rate, pH, temperature, and amt of sewage

Criteria air pollutants that have decreased most

lead- not in paint, toys, or gasoline anymore

Major indoor air pollutants

radon, formaldehyde (know the sources of this), environmental tobacco smoke, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, lead, asbestos (know the sources of this), tetrachloroethylene, para-dichlorobenzene, chloroform, styrene, trichloroethane→ group this all under VOCs and VOCs’ sources, nitrogen oxides, methylene chloride, mold/fungi, bacteria

sources of formaldehyde

industrial sources, building materials, insulating, paints and coatings, fertilizers and pesticides

sources of asbestos

vinyl flooring, textured paints, ceiling tiles, stove insulation

photochemical smog

mixture of primary and secondary pollutants formed under the influence of UV radiation from the sun

sources: These are produced by burning fossil fuels when we drive cars, producing energy from fossil fuel power plants, or via incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (i.e., backyard burning).

soil buffering capacity

dependent on level of buffering ions, granitic soil is more susceptible to acid deposition

keeling curve

co2, Milankovitch cycles (earth’s orbit, axis tilt, “wobble” on axis)

Granitic soil

prone to acid deposition

GHGs

CO2 50-60%, N2O, CFCs, Ozone- know heat trapping levels (rank them from least to most heat trapping: CO2, CH4, N2O, CFCs)

Shifting climate belts

for each 1 degree celsius, climate belt shifts 100-120 km → toward poles

Atmospheric window

section of electromag spectrum- 8-14 micrometers

aral sea water diversion project

using river to transform desert into farms; resulted in the sea shrinking to half of its size

aswan dam water diversion project

built to increase amount of hydroelectric power and regulate the flooding of the nile; results in damaged system as a result of rising water table

Primary wastewater treatment

mechanical