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Freshwater Pollution
Water Pollution
Water pollution – chemical, physical or biological things in the water which degrade the quality of the water and affect the organisms dependent on it
Causes: Industrialization Human population boom
Major Types of Water Pollution
Pathogens – disease causing organisms Bacteria, viruses, parasitic worms Sewage
Organic chemicals – pesticides, fertilizer, gasoline, oil, detergents, etc.
Organic matter – biodegradable remains of animals and plants
Inorganic chemicals – acids, salts, toxic metals
Toxic chemicals – poisonous chemicals including heavy metals (lead, mercury), industrial and household chemicals
Physical agents – heat and suspended solids (soil)
Radioactive waste – from power or nuclear processing plants
Major Types of Pollution cont.
Point pollution – discharged from a single source Factory, wastewater treatment plant, oil tanker Easy to regulate and control
Nonpoint pollution – comes from many sources rather than a single specific site Hazardous materials washed into bodies of water Difficult to control 96% of water pollution comes from nonpoint
pollution
Classification of Pollution
Wastewater – water that flows down the drain
Treatment plants remove most but industrial wastewater and toxic substances are harder to get rid of
Creates sludge – solid material that remains after treatment May contain hazardous materials Incinerated or buried in a landfill
Wastewater Treatment Plants
Effects of Water Pollution
Biological magnification – toxic materials work its way through the food chain Soil tainted with toxins enters
producers (sea weed) → lots of seaweed is eaten by small fish → lots of small fish are eaten by one big fish
Big fish has an increased concentration of toxin
Long Term Effects
Biological Magnification
Toxic chemicals can cause cancer, birth defects, damage to reproductive system, nervous system, liver or kidneys
Occurs from drinking polluted water or eating fish with accumulated toxins
Water Pollution and Humans
Toxic chemical or oil spills which instantly kill almost all the living things
Short Term Effects
Artificial Eutrophication
Eutrophic means lots of nutrients Occurs naturally as organisms die
and decompose Artificial – plant nutrients like
phosphorus and nitrogen get into the water Cause algal blooms Algae die and use up oxygen killing fish
Excessive amounts of heat are added to body of water
Water comes from power plants and factories
Too much heat releases oxygen – not enough for fish to survive
Thermal Pollution
Clean Water Act – 1972 – goal to make all surface waters clean enough for fishing and swimming by 1983
Led to more, stricter laws on both national and state level
Personal and industrial progress
Cleaning Up Water Pollution
Wastewater – water that flows down the drain
Treatment plants remove most but industrial wastewater and toxic substances are harder to get rid of
Creates sludge – solid material that remains after treatment May contain hazardous materials Incinerated or buried in a landfill
Wastewater Treatment Plants