AIM: What are some inorganic pollutants that can contaminate our water?

DN: What are toxic chemicals? How do they get into our drinking water?

HW: Article due Friday

Toxic chemicals

• Elements and compounds that are directly harmful to living things

Inorganic Chemicals

• Metals, salt, minerals

• Enter water as a result of seepage, runoff, direct discharge from rivers, lakes, streams

Arsenic• Natural deposits and

Runoff from agriculture and industry

• Odorless and tasteless• Symptoms:

– Skin lesions– Gastrointestinal upset– cancer

Copper• Natural deposits and

corrosion of plumbing

• Symptoms:– Short term:

gastrointestinal upset– Long term: kidney

and liver

Lead

• Behavioral problems and learning disabilities in young children

• Plumbing systems

• 1986- ban of lead in pipes

Mercury

• Liquid metal found in natural deposits, discharge from factories

• Symptoms: neurological

Mercury Poisoning“Mad hatters disease”

• Common to hat makers

• caused tremors, nerve damage, insanity, lack of coordination

• biomagnification of mercury

plum

Metal Drums filled with factory waste

• Drums eventually begin to corrode causing the waste to seep into groundwater

Oil Spills• Oil spills: kills many organisms,

upsets the ecosystem

– 1989- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in the Prince William Sound

– 2010- Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

• Cat Island

• BP Oil Spill timeline

1. What are toxic chemicals?2. What is the difference between organic and

inorganic chemicals?3. What are heavy metals? Give some examples

of heavy metals.4. How do heavy metals enter the water

systems?5. What are some health risks associated with

heavy metals?6. Identify some examples of organic pollutants.7. Why are oil spills dangerous to water

ecosystems?