1. Water pollution: any physical or chemical change in water that adversely affects the health of humans and other organisms.
2. sewage: the release of wastewater from drains or sewers ( from toilets, washing machines, and showers) includes human wastes, soaps, and detergents.
3. enrichment: the process by which uranium ore is refined after mining to increase the concentration of fissionable U-235. the fertilization of a body of water, caused by the presence of high levels of plant and algal nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus.
4. biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): the amount of oxygen needed by microorganism to decompose biological wastes into carbon dioxide, water and minerals.
5. oligotrophic: a lake that has clear water and supports small populations of aquatic organisms.
6. eutrophic: enriched body of water.
7. artificial eutrophication: overnourishment of an aquatic ecosy+stem by nutrients such
Nitrates and phosphates: due to human activities such as agriculture and discharge from sewage treatment plants.
8. fecal coliform test: a water quality test for the presence of fecal bacteria , which indicates a chance that pathogenic organisms may be present as well.
9. sediment pollution: excessive amounts of soil particles that enter the water as a result of erosion
10. inorganic plant and algal nutrients: chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus that stimulate the growth of plants and algae.
11. hypoxia: low dissolved oxygen concentration that occurs in many bodies of water when nutrients stimulate the growth of algae that subsequently die and are decomposed by oxygen for other aquatic life.
12. thermal pollution: water pollution that occurs when heated water produced during many industrial processes is released into waterways.
13. point source pollution: water pollution that can be traced to a specific spot
14. nonpoint source pollution: pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry.
15. primary treatment: treating wastewater by removing suspended and floating particles by mechanical processes.
16. secondary treatment: treating wastewater biologically to decompose suspended organic material: secondary treatment reduces the water’s biochemical oxygen demand.
17. sludge, primary, and secondary: the solids remaining after sewage treatment has been completed.
18. tertiary treatment: advanced wastewater treatment methods that are sometimes employed after primary and secondary treatments.
19. maximum contaminant level: the upper limit for the concentration of a particular water pollutant in water intended for human consumption.
20 National emission limitation: the maximum permissible amount of a water pollutants that can be discharged from a sewage treatment plant, or factory, or other point source.
21. eutrophication: the enrichment of a lake, estuary, or slow flowing stream by nutrients that cause increased photosynthesis productivity. Eutrophication that occurs naturally is a very slow process in which the body of water gradually fills in and converts to a marsh, eventually disappearing.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Ch. 7 Guided Notes
-Compare life expectancies and infant mortality rates in highly developed and developing countries.
Life expectancy and infant mortality are health indicators that vividly demonstrate the contrasts in health among different nations. In a highly developed country, the average life expectancy is high, and the infant mortality rate is low. In a less developed country, the average life expectancy is low, and the infant mortality is high.
What are the leading causes of death in:
Highly Developed Countries: 1- Cardiovascular Diseases (of the heart and blood vessels)2- Cancer 3- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (of the lungs). [all noninfectious]
Developing Countries: 1- (children) malnutrition, lower respiratory tract infections, diarrheal diseases and malaria.
To calculate BMI: Multiply your weight by 740, then divide that number by your height in inches, squared.
Emerging Diseases: (not previously found in humans, jump from an animal host to the human species)
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) 20 million died from it already, 38 million living with it jumped from primates to humans 60-70 years ago when humans were exposed to contaminated monkey neat. Others include Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (the human equivalent of mad cow disease), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola virus, and monkey pox.
Reemerging Diseases: infectious diseases that existed in the past and are increasing in evidence or geographical range. Tuberculosis (associated with poverty) (also coming back because of antibiotic-resistant strains), yellow fever, malaria, and dengue fever.
Main factors in the emergence of reemergence of diseases:
- Evolution in the infection organisms so they can move from animal to human hosts.
- Evolution of antibiotic resistance in the infectious organisms.
- Urbanization, associated with overcrowding and poor sanitation.
- A growing population of elderly people who are more susceptible to infection.
- Pollution, environmental degradation, and changing weather patterns.
- Growth of international trade and commerce.
- Poverty and social inequality.
Endocrine Disruptors: chemicals that mimic or interfere with the actions of the endocrine system in humans and wildlife. Can mimic estrogen n males and females altering reproductive development in males and females if various species.
LD50 – is the dose lethal to 50% of a population of test animals. Usually reported in milligrams
Ed50 – is the effective dose, and causes 50% of a population to exhibit whatever response is under study.
LD50 Values for Selected Chemicals
Chemical LD50 (mg/kg)*
Aspirin 1750.0
Ethanol 1000.0
Morphine 500.0
Caffeine 200.0
Heroin 150.0
Lead 20.0
Cocaine 17.5
Sodium cyanide 10.0
Nicotine 2.0
Strychnine 0.8
Children are more susceptible to most chemicals then adults are because their bodies are still developing and are not as effective in dealing with toxicants. Children are also more susceptible to chemicals because they weigh substantially less than adults, and their lethal dose is much lower.
Dilution Paradigm – meant that you could discard pollution into the environment and it would be diluted sufficiently and cause no harm. (a paradigm is a generally accepted pattern) (Love Canal)
Boomerang Paradigm- “what you throw away will come back and hurt you” (DDT causing birds to have weak shells) ------ accepted today!
4 Steps of Risk Assessment
Step 1 Hazard identification –Does exposure to substance cause increased likelihood of adverse health effect such as cancer or birth defects?
Step 2 Dose-response assessment- What is relationship between amount of exposure (dose) and seriousness of adverse health affect? A person exposed to a low dose may have no symptoms, whereas a high dose may result in illness.
Step 3 Exposure Assessment – How much, how often, and how long are humans exposed to substance in question? Where humans live relative to emissions is also considered.
Step 4 Risk Characterization – What is probability if individual of population having adverse health effect? Risk characterization evaluates data from dose-response assessment and exposure assessment (steps 2 & 3). Risk characterization indicates that Mexican-Americans, many of which are agricultural workers, are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure than other groups. (see graph)
Life expectancy and infant mortality are health indicators that vividly demonstrate the contrasts in health among different nations. In a highly developed country, the average life expectancy is high, and the infant mortality rate is low. In a less developed country, the average life expectancy is low, and the infant mortality is high.
What are the leading causes of death in:
Highly Developed Countries: 1- Cardiovascular Diseases (of the heart and blood vessels)2- Cancer 3- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (of the lungs). [all noninfectious]
Developing Countries: 1- (children) malnutrition, lower respiratory tract infections, diarrheal diseases and malaria.
To calculate BMI: Multiply your weight by 740, then divide that number by your height in inches, squared.
Emerging Diseases: (not previously found in humans, jump from an animal host to the human species)
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) 20 million died from it already, 38 million living with it jumped from primates to humans 60-70 years ago when humans were exposed to contaminated monkey neat. Others include Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (the human equivalent of mad cow disease), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola virus, and monkey pox.
Reemerging Diseases: infectious diseases that existed in the past and are increasing in evidence or geographical range. Tuberculosis (associated with poverty) (also coming back because of antibiotic-resistant strains), yellow fever, malaria, and dengue fever.
Main factors in the emergence of reemergence of diseases:
- Evolution in the infection organisms so they can move from animal to human hosts.
- Evolution of antibiotic resistance in the infectious organisms.
- Urbanization, associated with overcrowding and poor sanitation.
- A growing population of elderly people who are more susceptible to infection.
- Pollution, environmental degradation, and changing weather patterns.
- Growth of international trade and commerce.
- Poverty and social inequality.
Endocrine Disruptors: chemicals that mimic or interfere with the actions of the endocrine system in humans and wildlife. Can mimic estrogen n males and females altering reproductive development in males and females if various species.
LD50 – is the dose lethal to 50% of a population of test animals. Usually reported in milligrams
Ed50 – is the effective dose, and causes 50% of a population to exhibit whatever response is under study.
LD50 Values for Selected Chemicals
Chemical LD50 (mg/kg)*
Aspirin 1750.0
Ethanol 1000.0
Morphine 500.0
Caffeine 200.0
Heroin 150.0
Lead 20.0
Cocaine 17.5
Sodium cyanide 10.0
Nicotine 2.0
Strychnine 0.8
Children are more susceptible to most chemicals then adults are because their bodies are still developing and are not as effective in dealing with toxicants. Children are also more susceptible to chemicals because they weigh substantially less than adults, and their lethal dose is much lower.
Dilution Paradigm – meant that you could discard pollution into the environment and it would be diluted sufficiently and cause no harm. (a paradigm is a generally accepted pattern) (Love Canal)
Boomerang Paradigm- “what you throw away will come back and hurt you” (DDT causing birds to have weak shells) ------ accepted today!
4 Steps of Risk Assessment
Step 1 Hazard identification –Does exposure to substance cause increased likelihood of adverse health effect such as cancer or birth defects?
Step 2 Dose-response assessment- What is relationship between amount of exposure (dose) and seriousness of adverse health affect? A person exposed to a low dose may have no symptoms, whereas a high dose may result in illness.
Step 3 Exposure Assessment – How much, how often, and how long are humans exposed to substance in question? Where humans live relative to emissions is also considered.
Step 4 Risk Characterization – What is probability if individual of population having adverse health effect? Risk characterization evaluates data from dose-response assessment and exposure assessment (steps 2 & 3). Risk characterization indicates that Mexican-Americans, many of which are agricultural workers, are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure than other groups. (see graph)
Ch. 25 Vocabulary
1. Environmental Sustainability- the ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
2. Sustainable Development- development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
3. Consumption- the human use of materials and energy; generally speaking, people in highly developed countries are extravagant consumers.
4. Cultural Diversity- earth’s variety of human communities, each with its individual languages, traditions, and identities.
5. Biological Diversity- the number and variety of earth’s organisms.
6. Carrying Capacity (K)- the maximum number of individuals of a given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period.
7. Ecosystem Services- important environmental benefits, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and fertile soil in which to grow crops, that ecosystems provide.
8. Restoration Ecology- the study of the historical condition of a human-damaged ecosystem, with the goal of returning it as close to possible to its former state.
9. Full-cost Accounting- the process of evaluating and presenting to decision makers the relative benefits and costs of various alternatives.
10. Consumption Overpopulation- a situation that occurs when each individual in a population consumes too large a share of resources.
11. Sustainable Consumption- the use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs and improve the quality of life but that minimize the use of resources so they are available for future generations.
12. Environmental Justice- The right of every citizen, regardless of age, race, gander, social class, or other factor to adequate protection from environmental hazards.
2. Sustainable Development- development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
3. Consumption- the human use of materials and energy; generally speaking, people in highly developed countries are extravagant consumers.
4. Cultural Diversity- earth’s variety of human communities, each with its individual languages, traditions, and identities.
5. Biological Diversity- the number and variety of earth’s organisms.
6. Carrying Capacity (K)- the maximum number of individuals of a given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period.
7. Ecosystem Services- important environmental benefits, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and fertile soil in which to grow crops, that ecosystems provide.
8. Restoration Ecology- the study of the historical condition of a human-damaged ecosystem, with the goal of returning it as close to possible to its former state.
9. Full-cost Accounting- the process of evaluating and presenting to decision makers the relative benefits and costs of various alternatives.
10. Consumption Overpopulation- a situation that occurs when each individual in a population consumes too large a share of resources.
11. Sustainable Consumption- the use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs and improve the quality of life but that minimize the use of resources so they are available for future generations.
12. Environmental Justice- The right of every citizen, regardless of age, race, gander, social class, or other factor to adequate protection from environmental hazards.
Ch. 25 Guided Notes
Chapter 25 Guided Notes
Central Themes of Environmental Science
• Building a sustainable society: We must use our resources in a way that allows them to still be around for future generations. We do this to preserve biological and cultural diversity. We must evaluate the damage of our actions and limit it to a level that the environment can handle indefinitely.
• Respecting and caring for the community of life: We are part of earth’s biological web and we must protect it. We get most of our medicine, food, materials, and energy from the environment so we must protect it in order to help ourselves. We need the ecosystem services provided by the environment.
• Improving the quality of human life: The goal of development is to improve the quality of life of humans, but most of the world’s people still live in poverty. These people face malnutrition, high infant mortality rates, disease, and poverty. There are many U.N. programs devoted to aiding the world’s poor.
• Conserving Earth’s vitality and biological diversity: Human expansion and development is destroying the environment. Agriculture causes erosion, air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. Restoration ecology seeks to return ecosystems to their former pristine states.
• Keeping within Earth’s carrying capacity: The earth can only support a population of humans that is a certain size. Overpopulation is causing poverty and environmental destruction. Full cost accounting is the process of evaluating the benefits and costs of various alternatives.
• Changing personal attitudes and practices: Consumption overpopulation is when individuals consume too large a share of resources. We must all work to achieve sustainable consumption. People must be educated about what they can do to reduce waste and help preserve the earth.
• Enabling communities to care for their own environments: We dump limitless amounts of pollution into the environment. Communities must be taught how to protect their own environments, because nobody wants live in a dump. They must have access to resources and education in order to protect their own individual environments.
• Building a national framework for integrating development and conservation: National governments must work together to balance development and environmental conservation. The different parts cannot be at odds with each other or they will not be able to function efficiently to protect the environment.
• Creating a global alliance: Once conservation has been established on a national level, countries must work together to create a worldwide network of conservation. International treaties and agreements can be used to ensure the world’s countries will all work together to save the earth because, even if one country wants to help the environment, if the rest of the world does nothing then the environment will still be destroyed.
Central Themes of Environmental Science
• Building a sustainable society: We must use our resources in a way that allows them to still be around for future generations. We do this to preserve biological and cultural diversity. We must evaluate the damage of our actions and limit it to a level that the environment can handle indefinitely.
• Respecting and caring for the community of life: We are part of earth’s biological web and we must protect it. We get most of our medicine, food, materials, and energy from the environment so we must protect it in order to help ourselves. We need the ecosystem services provided by the environment.
• Improving the quality of human life: The goal of development is to improve the quality of life of humans, but most of the world’s people still live in poverty. These people face malnutrition, high infant mortality rates, disease, and poverty. There are many U.N. programs devoted to aiding the world’s poor.
• Conserving Earth’s vitality and biological diversity: Human expansion and development is destroying the environment. Agriculture causes erosion, air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. Restoration ecology seeks to return ecosystems to their former pristine states.
• Keeping within Earth’s carrying capacity: The earth can only support a population of humans that is a certain size. Overpopulation is causing poverty and environmental destruction. Full cost accounting is the process of evaluating the benefits and costs of various alternatives.
• Changing personal attitudes and practices: Consumption overpopulation is when individuals consume too large a share of resources. We must all work to achieve sustainable consumption. People must be educated about what they can do to reduce waste and help preserve the earth.
• Enabling communities to care for their own environments: We dump limitless amounts of pollution into the environment. Communities must be taught how to protect their own environments, because nobody wants live in a dump. They must have access to resources and education in order to protect their own individual environments.
• Building a national framework for integrating development and conservation: National governments must work together to balance development and environmental conservation. The different parts cannot be at odds with each other or they will not be able to function efficiently to protect the environment.
• Creating a global alliance: Once conservation has been established on a national level, countries must work together to create a worldwide network of conservation. International treaties and agreements can be used to ensure the world’s countries will all work together to save the earth because, even if one country wants to help the environment, if the rest of the world does nothing then the environment will still be destroyed.
Ch. 24 Guided Notes (without graphs)
Chapter 24 Guided Notes
The United States generates the most solid waste of any country. We produce 4.4 pounds of solid waste per person per day. This creates a total of 229 million tons in one year.
Figure 24.1 Municipal Solid Waste
Nonmunicipal Solid Waste
• Mining: 75 %
• Agriculture: 13 %
• Industry: 9.5 %
Disposal of Sanitary Waste
Figure 24.2:
Landfills: Consists of a big hole where trash is placed, compacted, and covered with a layer of dirt. One problem is that they can pollute the ground with leachate and they produce explosive methane gas. Plastic is a problem because it will most likely never decompose in a landfill. Tires are a problem because they take up a large amount of space, they work their way to the top of a landfill and they are a fire hazard.
Incineration: This is the process of burning solid waste. The three types of incineration are mass burn, modular, and refuse derived fuel. Mass burn incinerators recover energy from the burning of the trash. Modular incinerators are smaller and burn all solid waste. In refused derived fuel incinerators, only the combustible parts of solid waste are burned. Problems with incineration include air pollution and the production of ash that must be disposed of.
Composting: This is when organic waste is converted into compost or mulch. This is then used to condition soil. Currently composting is used to recycle about 57 % of yard waste.
Source Reduction
Source reduction is when products are designed and manufactured in a way that decreases the volume of solid waste and the amount of hazardous waste in the solid waste stream. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 requires manufacturers to report their source reduction and recycling activities. Dematerialization works to decrease the size and weight of a product so that there is less waste.
Reusing
Reusing reduces waste. One example of reusing is refilling water bottles. Refillable water bottles are making a comeback in the United States.
Recycling
Pros: Conserves natural resources, reduces amount of waste in landfills, creates jobs
Cons: Uses energy, generates pollution
Improvements: Recycling rates are on the rise and the United States recycles more of its waste than any other country in the world
Categories:
• Paper- The U.S. recycles 45 % of its paper. This is less than some other countries because old paper mills in the U.S. are not equipped to process recycled paper. New mills are being built to fix this problem.
• Glass- The U.S. recycles 26 % of its glass. Recycled glass is cheaper and can be used to create cullet.
• Aluminum- It takes less energy to make cans from recycled aluminum. The U.S. recycles 55 % of its aluminum cans.
• Other metals- Metals like gold, lead, iron, steel, silver and zinc. Waste metals from industry are easy to recycle. New steel products are made from an average of 56 % recycled steel.
• Plastics- Less than 20 % of plastic is recycled. Sometimes plastic is cheaper to make from raw materials than from recycled materials, making it unprofitable to recycle plastic.
• Tires- Old tires can be used to make asphalt for pavement. Currently 9 % of tires are recycled to make other products
Figure 24.12 Integrated Waste Management
Hazardous Wastes
Love Canal was a community near Niagara Falls that was built on an old toxic waste dump. The residents were getting sick and they called for action. They were evacuated so that the toxic wastes could be cleaned up.
Dioxins: A group of compounds created as a by-product of the combustion of chlorine. Dioxins cause cancer and are emitted by smoke.
PCBs: A group of chemicals that are composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine. They were used in industrial processes for many years. They can cause kidney and liver damage. They can be destroyed by incineration or through decomposition by bacteria.
The United States generates the most solid waste of any country. We produce 4.4 pounds of solid waste per person per day. This creates a total of 229 million tons in one year.
Figure 24.1 Municipal Solid Waste
Nonmunicipal Solid Waste
• Mining: 75 %
• Agriculture: 13 %
• Industry: 9.5 %
Disposal of Sanitary Waste
Figure 24.2:
Landfills: Consists of a big hole where trash is placed, compacted, and covered with a layer of dirt. One problem is that they can pollute the ground with leachate and they produce explosive methane gas. Plastic is a problem because it will most likely never decompose in a landfill. Tires are a problem because they take up a large amount of space, they work their way to the top of a landfill and they are a fire hazard.
Incineration: This is the process of burning solid waste. The three types of incineration are mass burn, modular, and refuse derived fuel. Mass burn incinerators recover energy from the burning of the trash. Modular incinerators are smaller and burn all solid waste. In refused derived fuel incinerators, only the combustible parts of solid waste are burned. Problems with incineration include air pollution and the production of ash that must be disposed of.
Composting: This is when organic waste is converted into compost or mulch. This is then used to condition soil. Currently composting is used to recycle about 57 % of yard waste.
Source Reduction
Source reduction is when products are designed and manufactured in a way that decreases the volume of solid waste and the amount of hazardous waste in the solid waste stream. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 requires manufacturers to report their source reduction and recycling activities. Dematerialization works to decrease the size and weight of a product so that there is less waste.
Reusing
Reusing reduces waste. One example of reusing is refilling water bottles. Refillable water bottles are making a comeback in the United States.
Recycling
Pros: Conserves natural resources, reduces amount of waste in landfills, creates jobs
Cons: Uses energy, generates pollution
Improvements: Recycling rates are on the rise and the United States recycles more of its waste than any other country in the world
Categories:
• Paper- The U.S. recycles 45 % of its paper. This is less than some other countries because old paper mills in the U.S. are not equipped to process recycled paper. New mills are being built to fix this problem.
• Glass- The U.S. recycles 26 % of its glass. Recycled glass is cheaper and can be used to create cullet.
• Aluminum- It takes less energy to make cans from recycled aluminum. The U.S. recycles 55 % of its aluminum cans.
• Other metals- Metals like gold, lead, iron, steel, silver and zinc. Waste metals from industry are easy to recycle. New steel products are made from an average of 56 % recycled steel.
• Plastics- Less than 20 % of plastic is recycled. Sometimes plastic is cheaper to make from raw materials than from recycled materials, making it unprofitable to recycle plastic.
• Tires- Old tires can be used to make asphalt for pavement. Currently 9 % of tires are recycled to make other products
Figure 24.12 Integrated Waste Management
Hazardous Wastes
Love Canal was a community near Niagara Falls that was built on an old toxic waste dump. The residents were getting sick and they called for action. They were evacuated so that the toxic wastes could be cleaned up.
Dioxins: A group of compounds created as a by-product of the combustion of chlorine. Dioxins cause cancer and are emitted by smoke.
PCBs: A group of chemicals that are composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine. They were used in industrial processes for many years. They can cause kidney and liver damage. They can be destroyed by incineration or through decomposition by bacteria.
Ch. 22 Guided Notes (without graphs)
Chapter 22 Guided Notes
Eight Categories of Water Pollution:
• Sewage- the release of wastewater from drains or sewers
• Disease causing agents- bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic worms
• Sediment pollution- caused by soil erosion and increases water turbidity
• Inorganic plant and algal nutrients- things such as nitrogen and phosphorus that contribute to enrichment
• Organic compounds- things such as pesticides, solvents, and industrial chemical that are quite toxic to organisms
• Inorganic chemicals- toxins such as lead and mercury
• Radioactive substances- wastes from mining, refining, and using radioactive metals
• Thermal pollution- heated water, produced during many industrial processes, is released into waterways
Figure 22.2
Table 22.1
Disease Infectious Agent Type of Organism Symptoms
Cholera Vibrio cholera Bacterium Diarrhea, vomiting, fluid loss
Dysentery Shigella dysenteriae Bacterium Diarrhea, bloody stools, abdominal pain
Enteritis Clostridium perfringens Bacterium Discomfort, loss of appetite, cramps, and diarrhea
Typhoid Salmonella typhi Bacterium Headache, loss of energy, fever, rash
Infectious hepatitis Hepatitis virus A Virus Jaundice, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, aches
Poliomyelitis Poliovirus Virus Sore throat, fever, diarrhea, aches, paralysis
Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium sp. Protozoon Diarrhea, cramps
Amoebic dysentery Entamoeba histolytica Protozoon Diarrhea, bloody stools, abdominal pain
Schistosomiasis Schistosoma sp. Fluke Blood in urine, diarrhea, weakness, lack of energy, abdominal pain
Ancylostomiasis Ancylostoma sp. Hookworm Anemia and bronchitis
Dead Zone
The Dead Zone is an area in the Gulf of Mexico that is created by fertilizer runoff and manure runoff and creates an oxygen free environment of ever-changing size that does not support life beyond bacteria. It occurs every spring and summer.
Table 22.2
Compound Some Reported Health Effects
Aldicarb (pesticide) Attacks nervous system
Benzene (solvent) Associated with blood disorders; leukemia
Carbon tetrachloride (solvent) Possibly causes cancer; liver damage; may also attack kidney and vision
Chloroform (solvent) Possible causes cancer
Dioxins (chemical contaminants) Some cause cancer; may harm reproductive, immune, and nervous systems
Ethylene dibromide (fumigant) Probably causes cancer; attacks liver and kidneys
Polychlorinated biphenyls (industrial chemicals) Attack liver and kidneys; possibly cause cancer
Trichloroethylene (solvent) Probably causes cancer; induces liver cancer in mice
Vinyl chloride (plastics industry) Causes cancer
Lead
Lead can be found in paint, industrial sources, and natural sources. Lead can cause miscarriages, high blood pressure, and mental disorders. The Safe Drinking Water Act limits the amount of lead that can be in drinking water.
Mercury
Mercury comes from coal-fired power plants, municipal and medical waste, and the smelting of metals. Mercury causes kidney disorders and damages the nervous system and cardiovascular systems. The EPA regulates the permissible amount of mercury emitted in to the environment.
Point source pollution- water pollution that can be traced to a specific spot
Nonpoint source pollution- pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry
Ways to prevent water pollution
• Never throw medicines down the toilet
• Never pour motor oil or antifreeze on the ground
• Pick up pet waste
• Drive less
• Never apply fertilizer near a body of water
• Make sure that gutters and downspouts drain onto water-absorbing grass or graveled areas instead of paved surfaces
Water pollution in different countries
• Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela- oil pollution, human wastes, contamination from farms and factories
• Po River, Italy- raw sewage is dumped in to the river, agricultural chemicals, sediment pollution, poor source of drinking water
• Ganges River, India- untreated sewage, cremated remains, and human remains pollute the river
• Kwale, Kenya- disease causing organisms contaminate the drinking water of many African people
• Bnagladesh- the groundwater contains high levels of arsenic, causing arsenic poisoning
Steps for the purification of drinking water
The solid particles are clumped together so that they can settle out. Some systems run the water through carbon granules. The last step is to disinfect the water, usually with chlorine.
Steps for Sewage Treatment
• Primary treatment- removing suspended and floating particles by mechanical processes
• Secondary treatment- treating wastewater biologically to decompose suspended organic material
• Tertiary treatment- advanced wastewater treatment methods that are sometimes employed after primary and secondary treatments
• Disposal of sludge- the five possible ways to dispose of sludge are anaerobic digestion, application to soil as a fertilizer, incineration, ocean dumping, and disposal in a sanitary landfill
Water Pollution Acts
• Ocean Dumping Ban Act (1991): barred ocean dumping of sludge and industrial waste
• Refuse Act (1899): reduces the release of pollutants into navigable rivers
• Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): set federal standards for drinking water to guarantee safe public water supplies throughout the United States
• Clean Water Act (1977): affects the quality of rivers, lakes, aquifers, estuaries, and coastal waters
• Great Lakes Toxic Substance Control Agreement (1986): reduces pollution in the lakes by developing coordinated programs among the eight states and
Eight Categories of Water Pollution:
• Sewage- the release of wastewater from drains or sewers
• Disease causing agents- bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic worms
• Sediment pollution- caused by soil erosion and increases water turbidity
• Inorganic plant and algal nutrients- things such as nitrogen and phosphorus that contribute to enrichment
• Organic compounds- things such as pesticides, solvents, and industrial chemical that are quite toxic to organisms
• Inorganic chemicals- toxins such as lead and mercury
• Radioactive substances- wastes from mining, refining, and using radioactive metals
• Thermal pollution- heated water, produced during many industrial processes, is released into waterways
Figure 22.2
Table 22.1
Disease Infectious Agent Type of Organism Symptoms
Cholera Vibrio cholera Bacterium Diarrhea, vomiting, fluid loss
Dysentery Shigella dysenteriae Bacterium Diarrhea, bloody stools, abdominal pain
Enteritis Clostridium perfringens Bacterium Discomfort, loss of appetite, cramps, and diarrhea
Typhoid Salmonella typhi Bacterium Headache, loss of energy, fever, rash
Infectious hepatitis Hepatitis virus A Virus Jaundice, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, aches
Poliomyelitis Poliovirus Virus Sore throat, fever, diarrhea, aches, paralysis
Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium sp. Protozoon Diarrhea, cramps
Amoebic dysentery Entamoeba histolytica Protozoon Diarrhea, bloody stools, abdominal pain
Schistosomiasis Schistosoma sp. Fluke Blood in urine, diarrhea, weakness, lack of energy, abdominal pain
Ancylostomiasis Ancylostoma sp. Hookworm Anemia and bronchitis
Dead Zone
The Dead Zone is an area in the Gulf of Mexico that is created by fertilizer runoff and manure runoff and creates an oxygen free environment of ever-changing size that does not support life beyond bacteria. It occurs every spring and summer.
Table 22.2
Compound Some Reported Health Effects
Aldicarb (pesticide) Attacks nervous system
Benzene (solvent) Associated with blood disorders; leukemia
Carbon tetrachloride (solvent) Possibly causes cancer; liver damage; may also attack kidney and vision
Chloroform (solvent) Possible causes cancer
Dioxins (chemical contaminants) Some cause cancer; may harm reproductive, immune, and nervous systems
Ethylene dibromide (fumigant) Probably causes cancer; attacks liver and kidneys
Polychlorinated biphenyls (industrial chemicals) Attack liver and kidneys; possibly cause cancer
Trichloroethylene (solvent) Probably causes cancer; induces liver cancer in mice
Vinyl chloride (plastics industry) Causes cancer
Lead
Lead can be found in paint, industrial sources, and natural sources. Lead can cause miscarriages, high blood pressure, and mental disorders. The Safe Drinking Water Act limits the amount of lead that can be in drinking water.
Mercury
Mercury comes from coal-fired power plants, municipal and medical waste, and the smelting of metals. Mercury causes kidney disorders and damages the nervous system and cardiovascular systems. The EPA regulates the permissible amount of mercury emitted in to the environment.
Point source pollution- water pollution that can be traced to a specific spot
Nonpoint source pollution- pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry
Ways to prevent water pollution
• Never throw medicines down the toilet
• Never pour motor oil or antifreeze on the ground
• Pick up pet waste
• Drive less
• Never apply fertilizer near a body of water
• Make sure that gutters and downspouts drain onto water-absorbing grass or graveled areas instead of paved surfaces
Water pollution in different countries
• Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela- oil pollution, human wastes, contamination from farms and factories
• Po River, Italy- raw sewage is dumped in to the river, agricultural chemicals, sediment pollution, poor source of drinking water
• Ganges River, India- untreated sewage, cremated remains, and human remains pollute the river
• Kwale, Kenya- disease causing organisms contaminate the drinking water of many African people
• Bnagladesh- the groundwater contains high levels of arsenic, causing arsenic poisoning
Steps for the purification of drinking water
The solid particles are clumped together so that they can settle out. Some systems run the water through carbon granules. The last step is to disinfect the water, usually with chlorine.
Steps for Sewage Treatment
• Primary treatment- removing suspended and floating particles by mechanical processes
• Secondary treatment- treating wastewater biologically to decompose suspended organic material
• Tertiary treatment- advanced wastewater treatment methods that are sometimes employed after primary and secondary treatments
• Disposal of sludge- the five possible ways to dispose of sludge are anaerobic digestion, application to soil as a fertilizer, incineration, ocean dumping, and disposal in a sanitary landfill
Water Pollution Acts
• Ocean Dumping Ban Act (1991): barred ocean dumping of sludge and industrial waste
• Refuse Act (1899): reduces the release of pollutants into navigable rivers
• Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): set federal standards for drinking water to guarantee safe public water supplies throughout the United States
• Clean Water Act (1977): affects the quality of rivers, lakes, aquifers, estuaries, and coastal waters
• Great Lakes Toxic Substance Control Agreement (1986): reduces pollution in the lakes by developing coordinated programs among the eight states and
Thursday, April 16, 2009
chapter 4 vocabulary
Chapter 4 Vocabulary
1. Coevolution: the interdependent evolution of two interacting species.
2. Commensalism: a type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits and the other one is neither harmed nor helped.
3. Epiphytes: smaller plants, such as mosses, orchids, and ferns that live attached to the bark of the tree’s branches.
4. Evolution: cumulative genetic changes that occur over time in a population of organisms; evolution explains many patterns observed in the natural world.
5. Fundamental Niche: the potential, idealized ecological niche of an organism.
6. Keystone Species: a species, often a predator, that exerts a profound influence on a community in excess of that expected by its relative abundance.
7. Limiting Resource: any environmental resource that, because it is scarce or at unfavorable levels, restricts the ecological niche of an organism.
8. Mutualism: a symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit.
9. Natural Selection: the process in which better-adapted individuals - those with a combination of genetic traits better suited to environmental conditions - are likely to survive and reproduce, increasing their proportion in the population.
10. Parasitism: a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is adversely affected.
11. Pioneer: the initial community that develops during primary succession; lichens are most important element.
12. Predation: the consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator).
13. Primary Succession: the change in species composition over time in a previously uninhabited environment.
14. Realized Niche: the lifestyle an organism actually pursues and the resources it actually uses.
15. Secondary Succession: the change in species composition that takes place after some disturbance destroys the existing vegetation; soil is already present.
16. Species Richness: the number of different species in a community.
17. Succession: the process of community development over time, which involves species in one stage being replaced by different species.
18. Symbiosis: any intimate relationship or association between members of two or more species; includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
1. Coevolution: the interdependent evolution of two interacting species.
2. Commensalism: a type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits and the other one is neither harmed nor helped.
3. Epiphytes: smaller plants, such as mosses, orchids, and ferns that live attached to the bark of the tree’s branches.
4. Evolution: cumulative genetic changes that occur over time in a population of organisms; evolution explains many patterns observed in the natural world.
5. Fundamental Niche: the potential, idealized ecological niche of an organism.
6. Keystone Species: a species, often a predator, that exerts a profound influence on a community in excess of that expected by its relative abundance.
7. Limiting Resource: any environmental resource that, because it is scarce or at unfavorable levels, restricts the ecological niche of an organism.
8. Mutualism: a symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit.
9. Natural Selection: the process in which better-adapted individuals - those with a combination of genetic traits better suited to environmental conditions - are likely to survive and reproduce, increasing their proportion in the population.
10. Parasitism: a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is adversely affected.
11. Pioneer: the initial community that develops during primary succession; lichens are most important element.
12. Predation: the consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator).
13. Primary Succession: the change in species composition over time in a previously uninhabited environment.
14. Realized Niche: the lifestyle an organism actually pursues and the resources it actually uses.
15. Secondary Succession: the change in species composition that takes place after some disturbance destroys the existing vegetation; soil is already present.
16. Species Richness: the number of different species in a community.
17. Succession: the process of community development over time, which involves species in one stage being replaced by different species.
18. Symbiosis: any intimate relationship or association between members of two or more species; includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
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