1. Human Impact on Water and Air
Earth Science Notes
Human Impact on Water and Air

2. Human Impacts on Water
Water Levels
Water Pollution
Water Species

3. Human Impacts on Water Levels
Decrease water table
Water is withdrawn faster than it can be recharged.
Due to growing population
Due to mass irrigation
Will see a drop in lake and stream levels.

5. Human Impacts on Water Levels
Increase in Sea Levels
Melting of polar ice caps put more water in the oceans
According to the U.S. EPA, the sea level has risen 6 to 8 inches in the last 100 years
Thermal Expansion of Water
This increases the volume of the water in the ocean
Thermal expansion has already raised the oceans 4 to 8 inches

7. Sources of Water Pollution
Point source pollution – enters water from a specific point
Usually can be controlled before it reaches a body of water.
Non-point source pollution – enters water from a large area of land
Sources can be lawns and field sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers
No one know the exact source of the pollutant
Non-point sources include pollutants from rain or snow

8. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Disease-causing agents (pathogens)
Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic worms enter water from domestic sewage and untreated human and animal wastes

9. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Oxygen-demanding waste (ODW)
Microorganisms use up oxygen
Large populations of bacteria supported by the presence of these wastes degrade water quality by depleting it of dissolved oxygen.
ODW causes the death of fish and other forms of oxygen-consuming aquatic life.

10. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water-soluble inorganic chemicals
These are acids, salts and compounds of toxic metals such as mercury and lead.
High levels of these chemicals can make water unfit to drink, harm fish and other aquatic life, depress crop yields and accelerate the corrosion of machinery that uses water.
Industry is the main source of water-soluble inorganic chemicals.

11. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Inorganic plant nutrients
These are water-soluble nitrates and phosphates that can cause excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants.
As these plants decay they deplete the water of dissolved oxygen, which fish need to survive.

12. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Organic chemicals
Organic chemicals include oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides, cleaning solvents, detergents and many other chemicals.
These threaten human health and harm fish and other aquatic life.
The main sources of such water pollution are transport, industry, urban activities and household cleaning.

13. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Sediment (suspended matter)
Insoluble particles of soil and other solids become suspended in water, mostly when soil is eroded from the land.
By weight, this is by far the biggest water pollutant.
Sediment clouds water, inhibits photosynthesis and destroys the aquatic food chain.

14. Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Water Pollution
Classes of Common Water Pollutants
Other Pollutants
Radioactive pollution
caused by water-soluble, radioactive isotopes
Thermal pollution
after using water to cool down industrial and power plants
Genetic pollution
caused by accidental introduction of non-native species such as mussels and phytoplankton

15. Water Pollution
Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity.
Invasive plants can contribute debris and bio-molecules that can alter soil and chemical compositions of an environment, often reducing native species competitiveness.

16. Invasive Species
Emerald ash borer, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients.

17. Invasive Species
Purple Loosestrife
Zebra Muscles

18. Invasive Species Flying Carp?

19. Human Impacts on Air Types of Air Pollution Smog
Specific Chemical Pollutants
CFC
Particulates

20. Human Impacts on Air Air pollution undergoes a number of processes:
Emission
contaminants are released into the air
Transport
contaminants are transported to different locations through air
Exchange
compounds react with other compounds in air
Distribution
contaminants are distributed in air
Deposition
contaminants are deposited in a certain area, on the soil or on objects

21. Types of Air Pollution Smog Forms from auto emissions
N and C compounds are released
Sunlight separates O from N compounds
O2 molecules bond with the free O to make ozone.
Ozone is a major component of smog
Smog is an irritant

22. Types of Air Pollution Smog
reduces the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis

23. Human Impacts on Air

24. Human Impacts on Air

25. Types of Air Pollution Chemical Pollutants
Sulfur Dioxide - one of the most dangerous of all air pollutants.
The major sources of this pollutants are Factories and electric power plants that use sulfur-containing coal or oil as fuel.
In the air, some sulfur dioxide is converted to sulfuric acid, which is then deposited on the earth's surface, usually by rain.
This acid rain has caused damage to the environment in many parts of the world.

26. ACID RAIN

27. Types of Air Pollution Chemical Pollutants
Nitrogen oxide - are mildly poisonous brown gas.
produced in automobile engines and other devices where combustion takes place.

29. Human Impacts on Air
This high-resolution global atmospheric map of NO2 pollution shows how human activities affect air quality.

30. Types of Air Pollution Chemical Pollutants
Carbon oxides - is the largest single group of pollutants.
Carbon monoxide - a colorless and odorless poison
produced when fuel incompletely burned in engines, furnaces and space heaters.
A major source of this is the Vehicles.
Carbon Dioxide - a produced by normal combustion (burning).
Although it is not a serious pollutant, it is believed that the continuous build up of this gas in the atmosphere could cause a " green house effect" by reducing the flow of heat from the earth back into the space, thus causing a possible warming of the earth.

31. Carbon Oxide Compounds

32. Types of Air Pollution Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
synthetic substances that have has a variety of industrial uses.
Scientist also believe that CFC's are destroying ozone that absorbs potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

33. CFC – Chlorofluorocarbons

34. Types of Air Pollution Particulate matter
Tiny liquid or solid particles in the air
includes smoke, dust, and soot, which may contain toxic substances like asbestos, fluorides, lead, and mercury.

35. Particulate matter

36. Human Impacts on Air
Atmospheric problems
SO2
NOx
NH3
VOC CO
CH4
Photochemical smog +
Winter smog
Acidification
Eutrophication
Climate change
In the following table we can see which air pollutants are involved in various environmental problems.

38. Summary Be able to… Describe human impacts on the water cycle
List common classes of water pollutants
Describe human impacts on the atmosphere
List and describe types of air pollutions
Identify sources of pollution