Water Pollution

1. Water Pollution

2. Read and take notes. • You must read and study the material with diligence. • If you do not read, organize, process, and incorporate these modules into your schema, you shall not pass.

3. Chapter 14: Water Pollution Module 41: Wastewater from Humans and Livestock Module 42: Heavy Metals and Other Chemicals Module 43: Oil Pollution Module 44: Nonchemical Water Pollution Module 45: Water Pollution Laws

4. Opening case study: The Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the continental U.S., and it’s large watershed includes high density urban-scapes, concentrated animal feed operations, and agricultural areas. From these land uses, wastewater plants, animal waste runoff, and excess fertilizers have created eutrophic zones = algae blooms = decomposition = anoxic dead zones. Also human activities in the watershed have increased sediment-loads, blocking sunlight needed for aquatic grasses (habitat). Furthermore, anthropogenic chemicals (eg. Pharmaceuticals) affect wildlife. Good news: Chesapeake Bay Action Plan created goals which have dramatically improved the state of the bay.

5. Module 41: Wastewater from Humans and Livestock Learning Objectives: • Discuss the three major problems caused by wastewater pollution • Explain the modern technologies used to treat wastewater

6. Wastewater from humans and livestock poses multiple problems. A. Wastewater is water produced by livestock operations and human activities (toilets, bathing, washing clothes, dishes etc.) B. Can be point-source or nonpoint source 1. Point source comes from a distinct location (eg a factory), and can easily be targeted for cleanup. 2. Nonpoint source is more diffuse, and is more difficult to mitigate. Eg. All hard surfaces of a city

7. A. Oxygen Demand (Biochemical Oxygen Demand, BOD)- amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms living in water column. 1. Higher BOD value = higher wastewater pollution 2. If BOD is too high, oxygen is depleted, creating Dead Zones which kill most organisms.

8. B. Nutrient Release – Nitrogen and Phosphorous released from wastewater. 1. Causes Eutrophication, leading to algae blooms, algae dies, decomposition increases BOD, which lead to dead zones.

9. C. Disease-Causing Organisms – Pathogens associated with untreated human wastewater. Ganges river. 1. examples: Cholera, Hepatitis A, Cryptosporidium, the stomach flu, E. Coli. 2. Scientists test for indicator species (those that are associated with human poo) to predict the presence of pathogens. These are called fecal coliform bacteria. a. E. coli is and indicator species and indicates and increased risk of pathogens in a body of water.

10. We have technologies to treat wastewater A. Septic Systems – typically in rural areas. 1. Septic tank- primary clarification (scum, septage, sludge – pumped every 5-10yrs. 2. leach field – uses gut bacteria, and soil bacteria to break down nutrients and disperse them throughout lawn.

11. B. Sewage Treatment Plants – Boise Watershed 1. Primary treatment (settling tank sludge, septage, scum). 2. Secondary treatment – removes N and P via aeration basin, and bacteria. 3. Disinfection – UV light or chlorine 4. Sludge digested, dewatered, sent to landfill, incinerated, or used as fertilizer.

12. 5. Legal Sewage Dumping – antiquated treatment facilities allowed to dump raw sewage during overload events. 40,000 times per yr. in U.S. a. Sewage overflows pump untreated water from plants due to heavy rain events, causes human illness due to eating contaminated shellfish, illness from swimming in contaminated water, and illness from drinking contaminated water.

13. C. Animal Feed Lots and Manure Lagoons – large manmade pond in which primary and secondary treatment occur. 1. Lined with rubber to prevent leakage 2. OK unless barrier fails or excessive rain causes overflow.

14. Module 42: Heavy Metals and Other Chemicals Learning Objectives: Explain the sources of heavy metals and their effect on organisms Discuss the sources and effects of acid deposition and acid mine drainage. Explain how synthetic organic compounds can affect aquatic organisms.

15. Heavy Metals are highly toxic to organisms A. Lead - Hazardous to infants, causing brain damage and kidney issues. 1. Primary source is old water systems which utilized lead pipes. See Flint Michigan B. Arsenic – Naturally occurring compound 1. Mine tailings and wood preservatives are some human induced causes, however, natural variations occur. See. Bangladesh 2. Associated with cancers of skin, lungs, kidney and bladder. Can take 10 years to manifest.

16. C. Mercury – Naturally occurring heavy metal. 1. 2/3 of mercury from human activities from burning coal. 2. Also released in the production of cement (found in limestone). 3. Inorganic mercury not harmful, but converted to methylmercury by microorganisms (highly toxic) 4. Methylmercury moves through aquatic food chain by bioaccumulation and biomagnifiction. 5. most human exposure through fish consumption 6. Damages central nervous system

17. II. Acid deposition and acid mine drainage affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems A. Smokestacks- Release nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. SO2 and NO2 are converted to sulfuric and nitric acid in the atmosphere. 1. Wet-acid deposition – acid rains or snows back to watershed. 2. Dry-acid deposition – acid directly deposited in water body. 3. lowers pH of water body, thus making it inhospitable to ecosystems.

18. B. Acidic tailings from abandoned mines can seep into an aquafer. 1. Can be from underground mines or mountaintop mines.

19. III. Synthetic organic compounds are human-produced chemicals A. Pesticides and Inert Ingredients 1. DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) - sticks around even longer than it’s name. Detrimental to bird populations, and banned in U.S. 1972. 2. Unintended effects of synthetic pesticides. a. lethal to no non-target species b. alters species composition of biological communities c. Inert ingredients may be harmful to non-target species. d. Potentially harmful in human exposures

20. B. Pharmaceuticals and Hormones- effects not fully understood. 1. However, may be linked to hermaphroditism in fish, and potential endocrine system effects.

21. C. Military Compounds 1. Perchlorates- a group of chemicals used in rocket fuels, which easily leaches into soil and water, and may be linked to thyroid illness.

22. D. Industrial Compounds – chemicals used in manufacturing. 1. Case study Cuyahoga River Ohio – the burning river. 1969 2. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) compounds used in manufacturing. a. Persistent b. carcinogenic c. banned in 1979 3. PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) – commonly known as flame retardants a. found in construction material, furniture, electrical components and clothing b. now found in fish and human breast milk c. may lead to brain damage.

23. Module 43: Oil Pollution Learning Objectives • Identify the major sources of oil pollution • Explain some of the current methods to remediate oil pollution.

24. There are several sources of oil pollution A. Oil spills during transportation (Exxon Valdez) B. Oil spills during extraction (Deepwater Horizon) C. Natural seeps D. Consumption of petroleum-based products (nonpoint source)

25. II. There are ways to remediate oil pollution A. Burn it B. Contain and remove it (sorbents and physical means). C. Bioremediation- using either natural or genetically engineered bacteria to degrade oil. D. Dispersants – spread it out

26. E. Difficult if it reaches shore- high-pressure water used to clean after Exxon Valdez spill had several negative effects. 1. Removed fine-grain sediment (needed by many organisms). 2. Displaced native plant life 3. Organisms were not able to recolonize shorelines.

27. Module 44: Nonchemical Water Pollution Learning Objectives: • Identify the major sources of solid waste pollution • Explain the harmful effects of sediment pollution • Discuss the sources and consequences of thermal pollution • Understand the causes of noise pollution

28. Solid waste pollution includes garbage and sludge • Watersheds carry garbage and sludge from wastewater treatment to the oceans. • Great Pacific Garbage Patch (one of 5)- Collection of solid waste rotating in the center of the Pacific 1. Solid waste, mostly plastic. C. Coal ash and slag from burning coal (mercury)

29. II. Sediment pollution consists of soil particles that are carried downstream A. Sediment from human activities blocks sunlight in water bodies, reducing photosynthesis. 1. Also clogs gills for respiration.

30. III. Thermal pollution causes substantial changes in water temperatures A. Thermal pollution occurs when human activities cause change in water temp (aquatic organisms are highly sensitive to temperature change = thermal shock) 1. industry using water as coolant 2. global warming (coral bleaching).

31. IV. Noise pollution may interfere with animal communication A. Whales and other cetaceans.

32. Module 45: Water Pollution Laws Learning Objectives: • Explain how the Clean Water Act protects against water pollution • Discuss the goals of the Safe Drinking Water Act. • Understand how water pollution legislation is changing in developing countries

33. The Clean Water Act protects water bodies A. 1972 in response to Cuyahoga river fire. B. “supports the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish and wildlife, and recreation in and on the water.” C. Does Not include groundwater. D. issues water quality standards that defined acceptable limits of various pollutants in U.S. waterways. E. issues water quality standards for various pollutants, and grants the EPA the right to enforce limits for pollution discharge in waterways.

34. II. The Safe Drinking Water act protects sources of drinking water. A. sets the national standards for safe drinking water B. EPA responsible for establishing MLC (maximum contaminant levels) for 77 elements/substances C. EPA measures success of laws on “designated uses” 1. 56% of streams, 35% of lakes/ponds, 70% of estuaries in U.S. now fully support their “designated uses”.

35. C. What is MCl for Giardia and Fecal Coliforms?

37. III. Water pollution legislation is becoming more common in the developing world A. Sending contaminating industries from developed to developing nations (avoid EPA). 1. Increases human exposure to contaminants 2. Creates additional pollution in developing country B. As countries become affluent, they begin to introduce their own water quality legislation (eg. China)