ESC 2O - Week 11 - Water Quality

water quality management

the science of knowing how much waste is too much for a particular body of water

Assimilative Capacity

Amount of contaminant load that can be discharged to a specific water body without exceeding water quality guidelines

point and nonpoint

sources of pollution

Point Sources

Collected by pipes or channels and discharged to a single point (e.g. Domestic Sewage in homes)

Nonpoint Sources

Multiple discharge points (e.g. Urban stormwater and Agricultural runoff)

Oxygen-Demanding Material

Anything that can be oxidized, consuming dissolved molecular oxygen (DO)

6.5-8 mg

Amount of DO/L that is healthy

Theoretical Oxygen Demand

Represents ideal oxygen consumption

Biological Oxygen Demand

Oxygen consumed by microorganisms as they decompose biodegradable organic matter. Amount of DO that must be present in Water

Biological Oxygen Demand

Used to indirectly measure organic matter

High

Many organic matter = __ oxygen demand

Hypoxia

Areas of Water in which the level of DO is depleted

5

The standard time for BOD5 test is _ days, at 20 C

20

The standard time for BOD5 test is 5 days, at __ C

Prevent Photosynthesis

In BOD5 tests, bottles are incubated in the dark in order to what?

Ultimate BOD

The maximum oxygen consumption possible when the waste has been completely degraded. Better than BOD5

Winkler Titration

DO is measured initially and again after 5 days through __

Chemical Oxygen Demand

Amount of oxygen that can be consumed by chemical reactions

Oxidizable Pollutants

Chemical Oxygen Demand measures the oxygen demand of all __

Dichromate

A strong oxidizer used in COD

Easily Biodegradable

A high BOD/COD ratio means that the organic matter present is __

Phosphate

Phosphorus is regulated as __

Ammoniacal Nitrogen

Type of Nitrogen released from organic compounds, as well from industrial wastes and agricultural runoff

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

Organic + Ammonia NItrogen

Nitrate Nitrogen

Oxidized form of ammonia through nitrification

Suspended, Dissolved, Volatile, Fixed

Types of Solids

Suspended Solids

Dry weight of all suspended particles that are trapped on a filter

Dissolved Solids

Also called "Salts" ; Residue remaining when a measured volume of filtered water is evaporated

Volatile Solids

Also called "Organic Matter" ; Fraction of solids that are vaporized and burned off during ignition at 550 C

Fixed Solids

Solids that are ashes

Pathogens

Microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoa) excreted by diseases persons or animals

Total Coliform, Fecal Coliform, E.Cola

Common Indicators of Pathogens in water

Total Coliform

[Common Indicators of Pathogens] Found in feces, soil, plants

Fecal Coliform

[Common Indicators of Pathogens] Specific to intestines of warm-blooded animals

E. coli

Exclusively from fecal matter

Most Probable Number

[Pathogens] Used to estimate the concentration of viable microorganisms in a sample by means of replicating liquid broth growth in ten-fold dillutions

Multiple Tube Fermentation

Most Probable Number method is also known as __

Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides

Types of Pesticides

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

Chemicals that interfere with natural hormones

Turbidity

Cloudiness or haziness of water

Nephelometer

Used to measure tubridity by passing a beam of light through a sample at 90 degrees

Nephelometric Turbidity Units

Unit of a nephelometer

pH

Measure of the increase of hydrogen ions in water

0-6

Acidic pH

7

Neutral pH

6-14

Alkaline pH

Alkalinity

Capacity of water to neutralize acids

Hardness

Ability of water to precipitate soap

Carbonate hardness

Temporary, due to carbonates and bicarbonates of Ca and Mg

Non-carbonate Hardness

Permanent, due to chlorides and sulfates of Ca and Mg

Salinity

Measure of dissolved salt ions present in water