WATER POLLUTION

A bit of review of water pollution – a quiz 1. Fertilizers and pesticides can pollute a. Surface and ground water b. Only surface water (i.e. lakes, rivers, etc.) c. Only ground water d. None of the above

Quiz…continued 2. Runoff means that a. Soil from farmers’ field can wash into lakes and rivers b. There is no danger of pollution c. Pesticides can wash into lakes and rivers with soil d. Both a) and c)

Quiz…continued 3. Too much nitrate in the water can lead to: a. lung cancer b. Blue baby syndrome if it is in the drinking water c. Too much algae growing d. Water plants growing like crazy

Quiz ….continued 4. Biological contamination of water means a. There are too many plants in it b. There are pathogens in it c. There are too many animals in it d. None of the above

Quiz ….continued 5. Non-point source pollution is pollution that a. Comes from an easy-to-identify source b. Comes from industries only c. Comes from a big area d. Always comes from a pipe

Pollution of Lakes  Eutrophication Discharge of untreated municipal sewage (nitrates and phosphates) Nitrogen compounds produced by cars and factories Discharge of treated municipal sewage (primary and secondary treatment: nitrates and phosphates) Discharge of detergents ( phosphates) Natural runoff (nitrates and phosphates Manure runoff From feedlots (nitrates and Phosphates, ammonia) Dissolving of nitrogen oxides (from internal combustion engines and furnaces) Runoff and erosion (from from cultivation, mining, construction, and poor land use) Runoff from streets, lawns, and construction lots (nitrates and phosphates) Lake ecosystem nutrient overload and breakdown of chemical cycling Fig.22.7, p. 499

Type of water pollution  Bacteria,Viruses,Protozoa, Parasitic worms  Oxygen demanding substances  Inorganic plant nutrients  Metals  Organic chemicals  Sediment or suspended matter  Thermal pollution  Genetic pollution

Heavy metals…..  Copper natural, fungicides, insecticides, copper pipes can be lethal to some at 0.1 ppb, algae – 1-10 ppb, fish 500ppb Lead Pipes, industry Associated with brain damage and nervous system problems

Heavy metals…continued Mercury  Comes from mining, burning coal, natural sources  Also causes problems with the brain Arsenic  Natural sources, old mines  Can lead to cancer  Heavy metals are ‘magnified’ (get to be more and more) up the food chain….

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

Type of water pollution  Bacteria,Viruses,Protozoa, Parasitic worms  Oxygen demanding substances  Inorganic plant nutrients  Metals  Organic chemicals  Sediment or suspended matter  Thermal pollution  Genetic pollution

Organic chemicals Organic chemicals are any that have carbon in them. Some break down quickly (less dangerous), some take a long time (dangerous) and some break down into more toxic chemicals (really dangerous).

Organic chemicals…..continued Types of organic chemicals? Pesticides – mostly insecticides (kills insects) and herbicides (kills weeds) Petroleum products – e.g. _____________ Volatile organic compounds – e.g. benzene Pharmaceuticals (drugs) – e.g. prozac Solvents – e.g. PCBs

Organic chemicals…..continued Petroleum products Sources:  oil spills  fuels (e.g. diesel) and lubricants (e.g. motor oil) from cars, trucks and airplane (gasoline, diesel, jet fuels) from stormwater runoff, parking lots and leaking storage tanks

Organic chemicals….continued Petroleum products Effects: - dizziness, diarrhea, headaches, nervous system effects, cancer Cleaning up: - difficult, expensive, various ways – chemicals or microorganisms

Organic chemicals ….continued Pharmaceuticals like painkillers, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, antibiotics, birth control pills, estrogen replacement therapies, chemotherapy agents, anti-seizure medications, Sources: down the toilet into sewage water or in the landfill into ground water

Organic chemicals…continued Pharmaceuticals: What are the health effects? - Human effects are not yet know, not acute but long-term? - Hormone problems in fish (estrogen in water) - Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (antibiotics in water) - Earlier egg-laying in shellfish (antidepressants in water)

Organic chemicals …..continued Pharmaceuticals: What can be done? Advanced water treatment is available but very expensive!

Water Pollution: Causes Coal strip mine runoff Pumping well Waste lagoon Accidental spills Groundwater flow Confined aquifer Discharge Leakage from faulty casing Hazardous waste injection well Pesticides 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 Fig

Fig , p. 505 Healthy zone Clear, oxygen-rich waters promote growth of plankton and sea grasses, and support fish. Oxygen-depleted zone Sedimentation and algae overgrowth reduce sunlight, kill beneficial sea grasses, use up oxygen, and degrade habitat. Red tides Excess nitrogen causes explosive growth of toxicmicroscopic algae, poisoning fish and marine mammals. Farms Runoff of pesticides, manure, and fertilizers adds toxins and excess nitrogen and phosphorus. Toxic sediments Chemicals and toxic metals contaminate shellfish beds, kill spawning fish, and accumulate in the tissues of bottom feeders. Construction sites Sediments are washed into waterways, choking fish and plants, clouding waters, and blocking sunlight. Urban sprawl Bacteria and viruses from sewers and septic tanks contaminate shellfish beds Oxygen-depleted zone Closed beach Cities Toxic metals and oil from streets and parking lots pollute waters; Industry Nitrogen oxides from autos and smokestacks, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals in effluents flow into bays and estuaries. Closed shellfish beds

Global Outlook: Stream Pollution in Developing Countries  Water in many of central China's rivers are greenish black from uncontrolled pollution by thousands of factories. Figure 20-7

Case Study: India’s Ganges River: Religion, Poverty, and Health  Religious beliefs, cultural traditions, poverty, and a large population interact to cause severe pollution of the Ganges River in India.  Very little of the sewage is treated.  Hindu believe in cremating the dead to free the soul and throwing the ashes in the holy Ganges. Some are too poor to afford the wood to fully cremate. Decomposing bodies promote disease and depletes DO.

Case Study: India’s Ganges River: Religion, Poverty, and Health  Daily, more than 1 million Hindus in India bathe, drink from, or carry out religious ceremonies in the highly polluted Ganges River.

Is Bottled Water the Answer?  Some bottled water is not as pure as tap water and costs much more.  1.4 million metric tons of plastic bottles are thrown away.  Fossil fuels are used to make plastic bottles. The oil used to produce plastic bottles in the U.S. each year would fuel 100,000 cars.