Enviro Water Pollution

Point source

a single identifiable source of pollution

Nonpoint source

pollution from many diffused sources

Turbidity

cloudiness/murkiness of water

Watershed

all water drains downhill into the same outlet (body of water)

Eutrophication

excess nutrients, nitrogen/phosphorous enter water and cause algae or plant growth

Bioaccumulation

buildup of one pollution within an individual organism

Biomagnification

increase in concentration of a pollutant as you move up the food chain (across trophic levels)

Clean Water Act

protect quality of surface water (like rivers and lakes)

Safe Drinking Water Act

protect quality of public drinking water (supplied to taps)

Lead

paint, gasoline: neurotoxin that impairs learning, causes nervous system disorders, and death

Mercury

coal burning, fish consumption: neurotoxin that damages brain kidneys, liver, and immune system

Arsenic

mining, groundwater: carcinogen, causes cancer

PCBs

industry: carcinogen that causes cancer, impaired learning, and liver damage

Atrazine

herbicide: endocrine disruptor that causes feminization of males and low sperm counts (frogs)

DDT

insecticide: endocrine disruptor that causes feminization of males and thin bird eggshells

Phthalates

plastics, cosmetics: endocrine disruptor that feminization of males

DO

Dissolved Oxygen- free oxygen in water, aquatic animals need to breathe

BOD

Biochemical Oxygen Demand-DO that aerobic bacteria and microorganisms require to break down organic matter