Heavy Metals and Solid Wastes | AQA A-Level Environmental Science | Primrose Kitten

Acid Mine Drainage

Created when igneous ores containing sulphides react with oxygen to produce oxides of sulphur, leading to low pH water that mobilizes heavy metals and can be neutralized with crushed limestone.

Lead (Pb) is ...

Carcinogenic, lipid soluble, bioaccumulative, toxic, persistent, water soluble at low pH, and having high mobility. Main sources of pollution are water pipes, petrol, paints, and batteries.

Mercury (Hg) is ...

Toxic, lipid soluble, bioaccumulative, persistent, teratogenic, and existing in different chemical forms with varying environmental impacts. Main sources are coal combustion, batteries, light bulbs, and thermometers.

Cadmium is (Cd.)is ...

Lipid soluble, bioaccumulative, toxic, carcinogenic if inhaled, persistent, and not soluble in water. Main sources of pollution are batteries, paints, plastics, fossil fuel combustion, and phosphorous fertilizers.

Tributyltin (TBT) is ...

Toxic, low specificity, persistent, lipid soluble, bioaccumulates

Iron (Fe) is ...

Water soluble, reactive, persistent, toxic

What term describes the effects of heavy metals combine for worsened impact?

Synergistic

What different solid wastes are there?

Include spoil heaps, plastics, landfill, food waste, textiles

Persistence describes how ....

Some wastes degrade, others remain in the environment

Reactivity impacts ...

Mobility, persistence, and disposal conditions

Toxicity describes ...

wastes which are harmful to living organisms

Density impacts ...

Floatability in water bodies and wind dispersal

What is caused by acid mine leachate, forming insoluble iron oxide?

Iron Pollution

Solid Waste Pollution

Mainly from domestic and industrial sectors, labor-intensive

Built-in Obsolescence

Designing products for shorter lifespan to increase sales

Landfill

Large holes for unorganised waste burial, negative impacts

Incineration

Burning waste to reduce volume, energy recovery

Encapsulation/Vitrification

Sealing waste in materials to prevent leaching

Recycling

Reusing materials to reduce waste and resource extraction

Landfill Site Management

Sustainable practices to reduce environmental impacts of landfills

Waste Categorization

Separating waste by type, e.g., biodegradable waste in one area

Impermeable Cap

Covering landfill to prevent water infiltration and leachate formation

Leachate Treatment

Process to remove toxins and oxygenate water before release

Methane Collection

Gathering methane produced for energy use and preventing emissions

Waste Sorting

Separating recyclable materials to reduce waste and extraction needs

Effluent Gas Treatment

Removing pollutants from gases before release into the atmosphere

Encapsulation

Mixing waste with cement to solidify and contain it in impermeable containers

Vitrification

Mixing waste with molten glass to solidify and contain it in impermeable containers

Asbestos Disposal

Special precautions for disposing of carcinogenic asbestos waste

Cyanide Disposal

Safe disposal methods for wastes containing toxic cyanide