Catalyst Recently, there was a large oil spill in the Gulf. – What were some impacts of the oil spill on the ecosystem? – What steps did/could people take to clean up the oil spill? – What can be done to prevent future spills? *Please turn in Zork lab report*

Water Pollution Point Sources: Pollute from specific locations – Examples? – Problems? Non-Point Sources: Diffuse area of pollution – Examples? Atmospheric Deposition – Problems?

Types of water pollution: Examples and sources Infectious agents Organic Chemicals Inorganic Chemicals Radioactive materials Sediment Plant nutrients Oxygen demanding wastes Thermal

Water Quality Controls TMDL: Total maximum daily loads for pollutants Groundwater is hard to monitor and clean Much of the world has serious water quality problems Point source is easier than nonpoint source

Cleaning waste Natural Processes: Septic tank systems Municipal Systems: – Primary Treatment-Physical separation/filtration – Secondary Treatment: Disinfection – Tertiary Treatment: Chemical/physical removal of plant nutrients

Using online resources, in your groups… Come up with materials and procedures to clean up an oil spill. Think about – what the consequences of different cleaning techniques might be – How long each technique might take – How “clean” it would be able to get your ecosystem

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