Water Pollution Major Types of Pollutants Chapter 14 Major Types of Pollutants 1) Infectious Agents (bacteria, parasites) - sources = human/animal wastes - effects = diseases 2) Oxygen-Demanding Wastes (bacteria-creating wastes) - sources = sewage, livestock, paper/food plants - effects = lowers dissolved oxygen in water habitats 3) Inorganic Chemicals (acids, metals, salts) - sources = industry, homes - effects = harms organ systems of organisms

4) Organic Chemicals (fossil fuels, pesticides) - sources = industry, homes, farms - effects = harms organ systems of organisms 5) Plant Nutrients (nitrates, phosphates) - sources = sewage, farms, lawns - effects = lowers dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats 6) Sediment (silt) - sources = erosion - effects = clog streams, reduce clarity & photosynthesis 7) Radioactive Wastes (radon, uranium) - sources = nuclear plants, mining - effects = cancers, mutations, birth defects

8) Heat (thermal pollution) - sources = power plants, industry - effects = lowers DO, abrupt temp. changes

Measuring Water Quality - accomplished by looking at: 1) Fecal Coliform Bacteria - causes many diseases - drinking water = 0 coliform - swimming water = 200 colonies/100ml 2) Dissolved Oxygen (DO) - indicates presence of excess nutrients - can measure DO or biological oxygen demand (BOD) 3) Chemical Analysis - identifies organic & inorganic chemicals 4) Indicator Species - analyzing health of organisms

Water Quality DO (ppm) at 20˚C Good 8-9 Slightly polluted 6.7-8 Moderately polluted 4.5-6.7 Heavily polluted Below 4.5 Gravely polluted Below 4

Point & Nonpoint Source Pollutants NONPOINT SOURCES Urban streets Suburban development Wastewater treatment plant Rural homes Cropland Factory Animal feedlot POINT SOURCES Point & Nonpoint Source Pollutants

Dissolved oxygen (ppm) Stream Pollution & Recovery Normal clean water organisms (trout, perch, bass, mayfly, stonefly) Fish absent, fungi, sludge worms, bacteria (anaerobic) Trash fish (carp, gar, leeches) Trash fish (carp, gar, leeches) Normal clean water organisms (trout, perch, bass, mayfly, stonefly) 8 ppm Types of organisms Dissolved oxygen (ppm) 8 ppm Biological oxygen demand Clean Zone Recovery Zone Septic Zone Decomposition Zone Clean Zone Stream Pollution & Recovery Recovery occurs if: 1) no pollution overload 2) no reduced stream flow

Lake Pollution - 2 main concerns: 1) Biological Magnification - build-up of fat-soluble chemicals at higher trophic levels in a food web - examples: DDT, PCB’s, mercury 2) Eutrophication - lowering of DO due to increase of nutrients causing excessive algae growth, leading to excessive algae death, increasing aerobic decomposers

Biological Magnification Water 0.000002 ppm Biological Magnification Herring gull 124 ppm Phytoplankton 0.0025 ppm Herring gull eggs 124 ppm Zooplankton 0.123 ppm Lake trout 4.83 ppm Rainbow smelt 1.04 ppm

Sources of Eutrophication Nutrients Nitrogen compounds produced by cars and factories Discharge of untreated municipal sewage (nitrates and phosphates) Discharge of detergents ( phosphates) Natural runoff (nitrates and phosphates Inorganic fertilizer runoff (nitrates and phosphates) Manure runoff from feedlots (nitrates, phosphates, ammonia) Discharge of treated municipal sewage (primary and secondary treatment: nitrates and phosphates) Runoff from streets, lawns, and construction lots (nitrates and phosphates) Lake ecosystem nutrient overload and breakdown of chemical cycling Dissolving of nitrogen oxides (from internal combustion engines and furnaces) Runoff and erosion (from cultivation, mining, construction, and poor land use) Sources of Eutrophication Nutrients

Groundwater Pollution - sources include: - waste lagoons, septic tanks, landfills, hazardous waste dumps, deep injection wells - chemicals causing health issues are: - petrochemicals, organic solvents, pesticides, arsenic, lead - more easily contaminated because: 1) slow movement of water 2) less decomposing bacteria 3) colder temperatures

Groundwater Pollution Coal strip mine runoff Pumping well Waste lagoon Accidental spills Groundwater flow Confined aquifer Discharge Leakage from faulty casing Hazardous waste injection well Pesticides and fertilizers Gasoline station Buried gasoline and solvent tank Sewer Cesspool septic tank De-icing road salt Unconfined freshwater aquifer Confined freshwater aquifer Water pumping well Landfill Polluted air Groundwater Pollution

Groundwater Pollution Solutions Groundwater Pollution Prevention Cleanup Find substitutes for toxic chemicals Pump to surface, clean, and return to aquifer Install monitoring wells Require leak detectors on underground tanks Inject microorganisms to clean up contamination Ban hazardous waste disposal in landfills and injection wells Pump nanoparticles of inorganic compounds to remove pollutants Store harmful liquids in aboveground tanks with leak detection

Ocean Pollution Urban sprawl Construction sites Industry Farms . Cities Farms Red tides Closed shellfish beds Closed beach Oxygen-depleted zone Toxic sediments Healthy zone Oxygen-depleted zone

Coastal Water Pollution Solutions Coastal Water Pollution Prevention Cleanup Ban dumping of wastes by ships in coastal waters Improve oil-spill cleanup capabilities Ban ocean dumping of sludge Sprinkle nanoparticles over an oil spill to dissolve the oil Protect sensitive areas Require treatment of coastal sewage Regulate coastal development Recycle used oil Require double hulls for oil tankers

Surface Water Solutions - nonpoint source: 1) reduce fertilizer use 2) plant buffer zones 3) reduce pesticide use 4) preserve riparian zones 5) practice soil conservation - point source: 1) Legislation - Clean Water Act, Water Quality Act, Safe Drinking Water Act 2) Technology - septic tanks - sewage treatment plants

Septic Tank Septic tank with manhole (for cleanout) Household wastewater Nonperforated pipe Distribution box (optional) Gravel or crushed stone Drain field Vent pipe Perforated pipe Septic Tank

Sewage Treatment Primary Secondary Grit chamber Chlorine disinfection tank Bar screen Settling tank Aeration tank Settling tank To river, lake, or ocean Raw sewage from sewers (kills bacteria) Sludge Activated sludge Air pump Sludge digester Sludge drying bed Disposed of in landfill or ocean or applied to cropland, pasture, or rangeland

Prevent groundwater contamination Reduce nonpoint runoff Solutions Water Pollution Prevent groundwater contamination Reduce nonpoint runoff Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation Find substitutes for toxic pollutants Practice four R's of resource use Reduce resource waste Reduce air pollution Reduce poverty Reduce birth rates