Water Quality Notes

Sediment Pollution

Excessive amounts of suspended soil particles that \n eventually settle out and accumulate on the bottom of a body of water

Source of Sediment Pollution

Erosion of agricultural lands, forest soils exposed by logging, degraded stream banks, overgrazed rangelands, strip mines, and construction.

Environmental Effects of Sediment Pollution

Reduces light penetration, bring insoluble toxic pollutants

Health Effects of Sediment Pollution

* Sediments adversely affect water quality \n by carrying toxic chemicals.
* The sediment particles provide surface \n area to which some insoluble, toxic \n compounds adhere; when the sediments \n enter the water, so do toxic chemicals.
* Disease-causing agents can also be \n transported into water via sediments.

Source of Sewage

drains, sewers (toilets, washing machines, and showers), and human wastes, soaps, and detergents

Environmental Effects of Sewage

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Enrichment – the fertilization of a \n body of water, caused by the \n presence of high levels of plants \n and algal nutrients like nitrogen \n and phosphorus.

Health Effects

disease causing agents and reduction of oxygen because microorganisms use all of it to break down sewage

Disease causing agents

Infectious organisms that cause disease (pathogens).

Sources of Disease Causing Agents

wastes of infected individuals

Environmental Effects of Disease Causing Agents

cause human and animal diseases in municipal wastewater that contains bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasitic worms, and infectious agents

Health Effects of Disease Causing Agents

Typhoid, cholera, bacterial dysentery, polio and \n infectious hepatitis are some of the more common \n bacteria or viruses that are transmitted through \n contaminated food

Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrients

Chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus \n that stimulate the growth of plants and algae.

Source of Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrients

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human and animal wastes, plant residues, atmospheric deposition, and residential land.

Environmental Effects of Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrients

encourage excessive growth of algal and aquatic plants. This causes problems, including enrichment and bad odor.

source of organic compounds

chemicals that contain carbon atoms, found in water are synthetic chemicals that are produced by human activities

* pesticides, solvents, industrial chemicals and plastics, and seepage from landfills

health effects organic compounds

toxic and some of these have been shown to cause cancer or birth defects.

environmental effects organic compounds

pollutes streams and groundwater

sources of inorganic compounds

chemicals contain elements other than carbon, enter water from industries, mines, irrigation runoff, oil drilling and urban runoff from storm sewers

environmental effects of inorganic compounds

toxic to aquatic organisms

Health effects of inorganic compounds

* lead and mercury poisonous and can damage of create disorders to fetuses in pregnant women and nervous systems
* Low levels of mercury in the brain cause \n neurological problems such as headache, \n depression, and quarrelsome behavior

radioactive substances

Contains atoms of unstable isotopes \n that spontaneously emit radiation

sources of radioactive substances

get in water from mining and processing of radioactive minerals like uranium and thorium. medical and scientific research facilities and nuclear weapons use them

health effects of radioactive substances

Mutations, birth defects, mental retardation, genetic disease, leukemia, cancer (breast, bone, thyroid, skin, lung), burns, cataracts, male sterility

environmental effects of radioactive substances

pollutes air, water and soil

source of thermal pollution

When heated water produced during certain industrial processes is released into waterways

environmental effects of thermal pollution

Decomposition of wastes occurs faster, depleting the water of oxygen; this affects aquatic life.

health effects of thermal pollution

affect animals not humans

water pollution

any chemical, biological, or physical change in water quality that has a harmful effect on living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired uses

point source pollution

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Water pollution that can be traced to a specific spot (such as a factory or sewage treatment plant) because it is discharged into the environment through pipes, sewers or ditches.

non-point source pollution

Pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry. Ex. Agricultural fertilizer runoff and \n sediments from construction.

typhoid fever

bacteria; effects are diarrhea, vomiting, enlarged spleen, inflamed intestine

cholera

bacteria; diarrhea, severe vomiting, dehydration

bacterial dysentery

bacteria; diarrhea

enteritis

bacteria; stomach pain, nausea, vomiting

infectious hepatitis

viruses; fever, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, jaundice, enlarged liver

amebic dysentery

parasitic protozoa; diarrhea, headache, abdominal pain, chills, fever, bowel perforation, and death

giardiasis

parasitic protozoa; diarrhea, abdominal cramps, flatulence, belching, fatigue

cryptosporidium

parasitic protozoa; severe diarrhea and possible death for weak immune systems

schistosomiasis

parasitic worms; abdominal pain, skin rash, anemia, chronic fatigue, and chronic general ill health

agriculture pollution sources

Fertilizers, animal wastes, etc.

municipal waste pollution sources

Sewage, fertilizers, dumping into \n drainage ditches, etc

industrial waste pollution sources

Chemicals left over from manufacturing, waste products, etc

eutrophication

natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake, estuary or slow moving stream, mostly from runoff of plant nutrients from the surrounding land.

cultural eutrophication

human activities accelerate the input of plant nutrients (mostly nitrate- and phosphate-containing effluents) to a lake

source of eutrophication

Fertilizers, erosion, sewage, etc. get into water and the effect is high photosynthetic productivity

oxygen sag curve

in a flowing stream, the breakdown of degradable wastes by bacteria depletes DO

Ganges River in India

Religious beliefs, cultural traditions, poverty, \n and a large population interact to cause severe \n pollution

Pollution of Freshwater lakes

dilution less effective than steams because little flow and little mixing

temperature

Solar heat is distributed by ocean currents & as ocean water evaporates

Lower Shoreface (Beach)

The deepest part of the beach; farther into the water, before the breaker bar that forms waves.

Upper shoreface (beach)

Shallow zone where the waves begin to form

forebeach (beach)

Contains the swash zone – place where the waves crash.

backbeach (beach)

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Only under water during high tide.

Fore-Island Dunes

Sand dunes; doesn't flood often, except during hurricanes, etc. Constantly changing due to the wind

Estuary

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coastal body of water, partly surrounded by land, with access to the open ocean and a large supply of fresh water from a river.

salinity

fluctuates with tidal cycles, the time of year, & \n precipitation. The organisms that live here must be able to tolerate these conditions

High Fertility of estuaries

* Nutrients are transported from the land \n into rivers that flow into the estuary.
* Tidal action circulates nutrients and \n helps remove wastes.
* A high level of light due to shallow water.
* Many plants provide an extensive \n photosynthetic carpet

sandy beach

Life must deal with a shifting environment that threatens to engulf them & no protection against wave action. Most animals bury into the sand. They move with the tides, so they’re always underwater & don’t dry out.

rocky shore

high wave action at high tide; dryin out & temperature changes during low. Animals have a way of sealing in moisture like a shell & find a way to cling to the rocks so they don’t get washed away with waves

pelagic

The open ocean environment; divided into neritic (open ocean from the shoreline to a depth of \n 200m) and oceanic provinces (depths > 200m).

euphotic zone

Lots of light. From 0 - 200 meters. Photosynthesis takes place here

Bathyal Zone

The dimly lit part of ocean. From 200 -1500 meters

benthic characteristics (ocean floor)

ocean floor has sediments, many marine animal, and bacteria common

Sea Grass Beds

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Flowering plants that have adapted to complete submersion in salty water.

location of sea grass

found in shallow water to photosynthesize, also in quiet temperature, tropical, and subtropical waters, but not polar

ecological importance of sea grass

Reduce surface erosion, provide food, & provide habitats for many marine organisms

marine food web

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Phytoplankton

Global Carbon Fluxes

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* The figure shows production (up arrows) and \n consumption (down arrows) of carbon by \n aquatic organisms, terrestrial organisms, \n industrial activity, and forest fires.
* The biological pump refers to carbon settling to the ocean bottom in the form of decaying small particulate organic matter.
* Part of the organic carbon sediments to the \n deep sea floor where it is stored for hundreds of thousands of years.

Abyssal Zone

Completely dark. Extends to a depth of 4000 to 6000 meters (2.5 to 3.7 miles). Water here is very cold & has little dissolved oxygen

kelp

The largest of the brown algae, many reach lengths of 60 meters (200 feet). Common in cooler water & are found along rocky coasts. Provide habitat for many animals like tubeworms, sponges, clams, fish, & mammals.

coral reefs

Built from layers of calcium carbonate, coral reefs are found in warm, shallow sea water. The living portions must grow in shallow waters where light hits

zooxanthellae

(symbiotic algae) that live and photosynthesize in their tissues.

coral reef waters

poor in nutrients. Yet, other factors are favorable such as temperature, sunlight year round, and \n zooxanthellae.

growth of coral reefs

Coral reefs grow slowly; as one dies, another organism grows on it

fringing reefs

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it is directly attached to the shore of a volcanic island or continent. Types of Coral Reefs

atoll

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A circular reef that surrounds a central lagoon of quiet water. Forms on top of the cone of a submerged volcanic island.

barrier reef

A lagoon of open water separates the land from the barrier reef. The largest barrier reef is the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia

Importance of Coral Reefs

Provides a habitat for a wide variety of marine organisms, protects coasts from shoreline erosion, and provides humans with seafood, pharmaceuticals, and recreational/tourism dollars

coral reefs risks

Silt washing from downstream has smothered the reefs, overfishing, fishing with dynamite, hurricane damage, coral bleaching, disease, and tourism

oil spills

released by normal operation of offshore wells, washing tankers & from pipeline or storage tank \n leaks

floating oil

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coats the feathers of birds (especially diving birds) and the fur of marine animals, destroying the animals’ natural insulation and buoyancy. Many drown or die of exposure from loss of body heat.

floating booms

contain the oil spill or keep it from reaching sensitive areas

skimmer boats

vacuum up some of the oil into collection barges

absorbent pads

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soak up oil on beaches or in waters that are too shallow for skimmer boats.

Coagulating agents

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floating oil to clump together for easier pickup or sink to the bottom, where it usually does less \n harm.

dispersing agents

break up oil slicks. However, these can also damage some types of organisms.

fire

burn off floating oil, but crude oil is hard to ignite

primary sewage treatment

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physical process that uses screens and a grit tank to remove large floating objects and allows settling

secondary sewage treatment

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biological process in which aerobic bacteria remove as much as 90% of dissolved and biodegradable, oxygen demanding organic

tertiary

variety of biological, chemical, and physical processes used to remove phosphorus and nitrogen, the nutrients most commonly associated with enrichment. Tertiary treatment can also be used to purify wastewater so that it can be reused in communities where water is scarce.

sewage sludge

be a soil conditioner but can cause health problems if has infectious bacteria and toxic chemicals

dissolved oxygen

The amount of oxygen gas dissolved in a given volume of water at a particular temperature and pressure

carbon dioxide

Enters aquatic systems from the atmosphere and from respiration by animals and varies at different depths bc of light

nitrate

contaminates shallow groundwater from fertilizers and can reduce the human bloods ability to transport oxygen

sulfate

Problem because too much can kill fish. Gets in water from industrial processes and mining

iron

separates out of water and forms particulates and can coat fish’s gills

phosphate

plant nutrients that cause algae blooms. Frim detergents, human wastes, and fertilizers.

coliform

group of bacteria from animal wastes and uses up available oxygen. It causes e-coli disease

giardia

organism that can cause diarrhea if you drink unchlorinated water and lives naturally in guts of animals

chloride

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Part of salts, but too many can \n cause too much salt in the \n water. Too much is bad; a little \n is okay. It is naturally found in \n water, but can come from \n pollution.