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Pollution

Terms in this set (12)

5.1.1 define pollution
The addition to an environment of a substance or an agent (such as heat) by human activity faster than it can be rendered harmless by the environment and which has an appreciable effect on organisms within it
5.1.2: Distinguish the terms point source pollution and non-point source pollution and outline the challenges they present for management
Point Sources:
Discharge pollutants at specific locations
Factories, sewage treatment plants, mines
Non point sources:
Cannot be traced to a single point of discharge
Acid deposition, surface runoff
Agricultural forms - sediment, fertilizer, manure
64% total pollutants entering in US
5.2.3: State the major sources of pollutants
combustion, domestic, manufacturing, agriculture
5.2.1: Describe two direct methods of monitoring pollution
In the Water?
• Coliform testing
• Coliform bacteria from feces - maybe from natural animals but also input from sewage
• Take water samples at desired locations (here taken along the beach)
• Plate out a know volume of water on a nutrient medium (some media allow staining of colonies)
• Incubate overnight then count number of colonies observed
In the Air?
• Monitoring ozone, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulates
• Capture known volume
• Measure amount of target chemical with Gaseous sampling probes, spectrometers, etc.
• Set sampling points - monitor over time
• Observe changes taking place
5.2.2: Define the term biological oxygen demand (BOD) and explain how this indirect method is used to assess pollution levels in water
BOD= measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down organic matter in a given volume of water through aerobic biological activity

more sewage=higher BOD
5.2.3: Describe and explain an indirect method of measuring pollution levels using a biotic index
abundance of different types of organisms points to the health of an ecosystem
5.3.1: Outline approaches to pollution management with respect to figure 5
1. Altering the human activity
2. Reducing the quantity of pollutant released at the point of emission
3. Cleaning up the pollutant and restoring the
ecosystem after pollution occurs
5.3.2: Discuss the human factors that affect the approaches to pollution management
humans do not want to change their consumption habits
Individuals sometimes miss big picture importance of their actions
5.3.3: Evaluate the costs and benefits to society of the World Health Organization's ban on the use of the pesticide DDT
Benefits of the ban
• Recovery of raptors like bald eagles who were effected by thinning eggshells from biomagnification
• In humans avoid the
- Shownlinkagestobreastand
other cancers
- Acuteandchronicallytoxic- links to diabetes too
- Developmental issues, premature births
Costs of the ban
• WHO in 1955 tried to eradicate malaria worldwide through extensive use of DDT - resistance in insects started to develop
• Now malaria kills 2.7 million per year and moderate spraying or paint infusion or bed nets dipped in it might help without negative health effects
• Critics say worldwide ban based on people who have little to lose in comfort of developed countries banning what could help people in the "poor tropics"
5.4.1: Outline the process of eutrophication
The natural or artificial enhancement of a body of water, particularly with respect to nitrates and phosphates, that results in depletion of the oxygen content of the water

Positive feedback involved
More nutrients mean more plants
More dead plants means more organics means more nutrients
More plants...
5.4.2: Evaluate the main impacts of eutrophication
Death of Aerobic organisms
Increased turbidity
Loss of macrophytes
Reduction in the length of food chains • Loss of biodiversity
Formation of Dead Zones
5.4.3: describe and evaluate pollution management strategies with respect to eutrophication
Alter the activity
Phosphate free detergents in the home
Reduced residential use of lawn fertilizers
Move agriculture away from inorganic broad scale fertilizers to specifically applied organic fertilizers and manures
Soil conservation

Regulating and reducing The pollutant
Sewage treatment modifications
Traditionally remove solids and purify but leave nutrients in effluent
Advanced (more $$$) but removes nutrients for agricultural application
Treatment marshes on farms
Use natural wetland capabilities for farm waste treatment

Clean up and restoration • Mud can be pumped out
of eutrophic lakes
Plants can be reintroduced to restart natural nutrient cycling
Once that takes hold reintroduce fish
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