Chapter 19 Guided Reading
Water Pollution
1: How is water pollution defined?Water pollution is defined as degradation of water quality.
2: What are some of the common water pollutants?
Heavy Metals, Bacteria, Heat, Sodium.
3: What is the primary water pollution problem in the world today?
The primary water pollutant problem in the world today is a lack of clean, disease free drinking water.
4: How many people are exposed to waterborne diseases worldwide?
Several billion of people are exposed to waterborne diseases worldwide.
5: Name 3 sources of Surface Water and 3 sources of Groundwater Pollution from the chart (19.1)
Surface Water:
A Closer Look 19.1: What is the Value of Clean Water to New York City? What is the main idea of this story?
The main idea of the story is that people must not undervalue the power of natural ecosystems to give us a variety of important services such as improved water and air quality.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
1: What is BOD and what are some sources of it?
BOD is biological oxygen demand. Sources of BOD is dead organic matter, pathogens, drugs, organic chemicals and nutrients.
2: Where does approximately 33% of all BOD in streams come from?
33% of all BOD in streams results from agricultural activities.
3: What about in urban areas (BOD)?
Urban areas considerably increase the BOD in streams.
4: What is the relationship between BOD and dissolved oxygen levels? (What happens when BOD is high?)
The relationship between BOD and dissolved oxygen levels is that they affect water life sustainability. When BOD is high, water support of life is low.
5: Explain the 3 zones of BOD:
* Pollution Zone: Dissolved oxygen content of water decreases.
* Active Decomposition Zone: Dissolved oxygen reaches a minimum.
* Recovery Zone: Oxygen enters the water.
Waterborne Disease
1: What is Fecal Coliform Bacteria and where does it come from? Nutrients
Eutrophication
1: Define Eutrophication: Eutrophication is the process by which a body of water develops a high concentration of nutrients.
2: What is the solution to artificial or cultural eutrophication?
The solution to artificial or cultural eutrophication is to insure that high concentrations of nutrients from human sources do not enter lakes.
A Closer Look 19.2: Cultural Eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico
What is a dead zone and how is it created?
A dead zone is a place or period in which nothing happens or in which no life exists. It's created by cultural eutrophication.
1: Which Environmental Act was created after the Exxon Valdez disaster?
The oil pollution act was created after the Exxon Valdez disaster.
Sediment
1: Why is sediment pollution considered to be a two-fold problem?
Sediment pollution considered to be a two-fold problem because it depletes soil, and it reduces the quality of water.
2: What are some of the techniques employed by a sediment control program?
A technique is to apply soil-conservation procedures.
Acid Mine Drainage
1: Define Acid Mine Drainage and explain how it occurs: Acid mine drainage is a high concentration of sulfuric acid that drains from mines. It occurs from coal mines.
2: What is the general equation for acid mine drainage?
4 Pyrite + 15Oxygen + 14Water= 4 Ferric Hydroxide (Fe (OH)3) + 8 sulfuric acid
3: What site was once designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the nation’s worst hazardous waste site?
The creek area of Oklahoma.
Surface Water Pollution
1: What are some point sources of surface water pollution?
Municipal sites that empty into river.
2: What are some non-point sources of surface water pollution?
Native vegetation
3: What are the 2 approaches to dealing with surface water pollution?
Reduce water, treat water
Groundwater Pollution
1:75% of the 175,000 known waste disposal sites in the United States may be producing plumes of hazardous chemicals that are migrating into groundwater resources.
2: What is bioremediation?
Bioremediation is a technique of waste management using microorganisms underground.
3: What are the 5 important points about groundwater pollution?
4: What is saltwater intrusion of well water?
Salt water intrusion occurs in coastal freshwater aquifers when the different densities of both the saltwater and freshwater allow the ocean water to intrude into the freshwater aquifer.
Wastewater Treatment
1: Summarize how Septic Tank Sewage Disposal Systems work.
Sewer line from houseleads to underground septic tank. The tank separates solids from liquids and store organic matter through a period of detention. It allows all clean water to discharge into the drain field from a piping system where sewage seeps into the surrounding soil. Wastewater moves through soil, is further treated by natural processes of oxidation and filtering.
2: What happens during primary treatment of sewage?
In primary treatment, sewage enters municipal sewer line and passes through a series of screens to remove large floating organic material. It enters a girt chamber and goes through a primary sedimentation tank where matter forms sludge. It is removed and transported to a digester.
3: What happens during secondary treatment of sewage?
Wastewater from primary sedimentation tanks enters aeration tank, where it is mixrd with air. The sludge consumes BOD in the waste.
4: When is advanced wastewater treatment used?
It is used when Primary and Secondary treatment do not remove all of the pollutants.
5: What are some of the risks associated with Chlorine treatment of wastewater that is later discharged?
There are risks of cancer and other health effects. The degree of risk is controversial and is being debated.
Land Application of Wastewater
1: Explain the process of wastewater renovation and conservation cycle.
Wastewater renovation is when wastewater moves through gardens which is eventually discharged into the environment.
Wastewater and Wetlands
1: How can applying treated sewage to wetlands be helpful to the wetland ecosystem?
Wetlands can be effective in treating municipal wastewater, storm water runoff, industrial wastewater, agricultural wast water, mining waters and groundwater seeping from landfills.
Water Reuse
1: What is the difference between indirect and direct water reuse?
Indirect water reuse is when treated wastewater has been applied to numerous sites to recharge groundwater and then reused for agricultural and municipal purposes. Direct water reuse is when wastewater is piped directly from a treatment plant to the next user.
Environmental Laws
• Make sure to memorize the following laws:
• Clean Water Act
• Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
• Water Quality Act
How safe do you believe the drinking water is in your home? How did you reach your conclusion? Are you worried about low-level contamination by toxins in your water? What could the sources of contamination be?
I think the drinking water in my home is safe, because we've been drinking it for a long time and nothing bad has happened from it. I am a little worried about the contamination by toxins in my water, sources of contamination could be from fecal colliform and piping (lead).
Read, “Is Water Pollution from Pig Farms Unavoidable” and answer the following:
1: Why was pig farming such a controversy in North Carolina during this time?
Pig farming such a controversy in North Carolina during this time because of very confining farms.
2: What did pig farmers do with the pig waste? Why was this allowed?
Pig farmers put the pig waste in a pit, it was allowed because there wasn't enough incinerators to burn carcasses.
3: What is the lesson learned from North Carolina’s “Bay of Pigs”?
We are vulnerable to environmental catastrophes caused by large-scale industrial culture.
4: What legislation has been created as a result of this catastrophe?
The legislation created was to ban construction or expansion of new waste lagoons and encouraged pig farms to treat pig waste.
Study Questions:
1: Do you think outbreaks of waterborne diseases will be more common or less common in the future? Why? Where are outbreaks most likely to occur?
I think that waterborne diseases will be less common in the future because now we will have more precautions.
2: How does water that drains from coal mines become contaminated with sulfuric acid? Why is this an important environmental problem?
Water that drains from coal mines become contaminated with sulfuric acid by water mixed with coal runoff. This is an important environmental problem because if adds on to eutrophication.
3: Do you think our water supply is vulnerable to terrorist attacks? Why? Why not? How could potential threats be minimized?
Yes, because water is something that is used by everyone in the United States, so if terrorists aim for water, it can harm all of America. Potential threats could be minimized if we filter out all the bacteria and the pollutants and toxins.
4: How would you design a system to capture runoff where you live before it enters a storm drain?
I would use a system that filters out the heavy metals, pollutants and toxins. After, I would use the grit chamber to get rid of sediment, sand and small stones. I would also use chlorine to get rid of the pathogens that are responsible for outbreaks. After, I would have plants that would get rid of the rest of the bacteria and pollutants.
1: How is water pollution defined?Water pollution is defined as degradation of water quality.
2: What are some of the common water pollutants?
Heavy Metals, Bacteria, Heat, Sodium.
3: What is the primary water pollution problem in the world today?
The primary water pollutant problem in the world today is a lack of clean, disease free drinking water.
4: How many people are exposed to waterborne diseases worldwide?
Several billion of people are exposed to waterborne diseases worldwide.
5: Name 3 sources of Surface Water and 3 sources of Groundwater Pollution from the chart (19.1)
Surface Water:
- Urban Runoff
- Sediment
- Air fallout
- Leaks from buried tanks
- Saltwater intrusion
- Acid-rich water seepage
A Closer Look 19.1: What is the Value of Clean Water to New York City? What is the main idea of this story?
The main idea of the story is that people must not undervalue the power of natural ecosystems to give us a variety of important services such as improved water and air quality.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
1: What is BOD and what are some sources of it?
BOD is biological oxygen demand. Sources of BOD is dead organic matter, pathogens, drugs, organic chemicals and nutrients.
2: Where does approximately 33% of all BOD in streams come from?
33% of all BOD in streams results from agricultural activities.
3: What about in urban areas (BOD)?
Urban areas considerably increase the BOD in streams.
4: What is the relationship between BOD and dissolved oxygen levels? (What happens when BOD is high?)
The relationship between BOD and dissolved oxygen levels is that they affect water life sustainability. When BOD is high, water support of life is low.
5: Explain the 3 zones of BOD:
* Pollution Zone: Dissolved oxygen content of water decreases.
* Active Decomposition Zone: Dissolved oxygen reaches a minimum.
* Recovery Zone: Oxygen enters the water.
Waterborne Disease
1: What is Fecal Coliform Bacteria and where does it come from? Nutrients
Eutrophication
1: Define Eutrophication: Eutrophication is the process by which a body of water develops a high concentration of nutrients.
2: What is the solution to artificial or cultural eutrophication?
The solution to artificial or cultural eutrophication is to insure that high concentrations of nutrients from human sources do not enter lakes.
A Closer Look 19.2: Cultural Eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico
What is a dead zone and how is it created?
A dead zone is a place or period in which nothing happens or in which no life exists. It's created by cultural eutrophication.
1: Which Environmental Act was created after the Exxon Valdez disaster?
The oil pollution act was created after the Exxon Valdez disaster.
Sediment
1: Why is sediment pollution considered to be a two-fold problem?
Sediment pollution considered to be a two-fold problem because it depletes soil, and it reduces the quality of water.
2: What are some of the techniques employed by a sediment control program?
A technique is to apply soil-conservation procedures.
Acid Mine Drainage
1: Define Acid Mine Drainage and explain how it occurs: Acid mine drainage is a high concentration of sulfuric acid that drains from mines. It occurs from coal mines.
2: What is the general equation for acid mine drainage?
4 Pyrite + 15Oxygen + 14Water= 4 Ferric Hydroxide (Fe (OH)3) + 8 sulfuric acid
3: What site was once designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the nation’s worst hazardous waste site?
The creek area of Oklahoma.
Surface Water Pollution
1: What are some point sources of surface water pollution?
Municipal sites that empty into river.
2: What are some non-point sources of surface water pollution?
Native vegetation
3: What are the 2 approaches to dealing with surface water pollution?
Reduce water, treat water
Groundwater Pollution
1:75% of the 175,000 known waste disposal sites in the United States may be producing plumes of hazardous chemicals that are migrating into groundwater resources.
2: What is bioremediation?
Bioremediation is a technique of waste management using microorganisms underground.
3: What are the 5 important points about groundwater pollution?
- Gas
- Water treatment
- Liquid--> Vapor--> Dissolved
- Elimination
4: What is saltwater intrusion of well water?
Salt water intrusion occurs in coastal freshwater aquifers when the different densities of both the saltwater and freshwater allow the ocean water to intrude into the freshwater aquifer.
Wastewater Treatment
1: Summarize how Septic Tank Sewage Disposal Systems work.
Sewer line from houseleads to underground septic tank. The tank separates solids from liquids and store organic matter through a period of detention. It allows all clean water to discharge into the drain field from a piping system where sewage seeps into the surrounding soil. Wastewater moves through soil, is further treated by natural processes of oxidation and filtering.
2: What happens during primary treatment of sewage?
In primary treatment, sewage enters municipal sewer line and passes through a series of screens to remove large floating organic material. It enters a girt chamber and goes through a primary sedimentation tank where matter forms sludge. It is removed and transported to a digester.
3: What happens during secondary treatment of sewage?
Wastewater from primary sedimentation tanks enters aeration tank, where it is mixrd with air. The sludge consumes BOD in the waste.
4: When is advanced wastewater treatment used?
It is used when Primary and Secondary treatment do not remove all of the pollutants.
5: What are some of the risks associated with Chlorine treatment of wastewater that is later discharged?
There are risks of cancer and other health effects. The degree of risk is controversial and is being debated.
Land Application of Wastewater
1: Explain the process of wastewater renovation and conservation cycle.
Wastewater renovation is when wastewater moves through gardens which is eventually discharged into the environment.
Wastewater and Wetlands
1: How can applying treated sewage to wetlands be helpful to the wetland ecosystem?
Wetlands can be effective in treating municipal wastewater, storm water runoff, industrial wastewater, agricultural wast water, mining waters and groundwater seeping from landfills.
Water Reuse
1: What is the difference between indirect and direct water reuse?
Indirect water reuse is when treated wastewater has been applied to numerous sites to recharge groundwater and then reused for agricultural and municipal purposes. Direct water reuse is when wastewater is piped directly from a treatment plant to the next user.
Environmental Laws
• Make sure to memorize the following laws:
• Clean Water Act
• Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
• Water Quality Act
How safe do you believe the drinking water is in your home? How did you reach your conclusion? Are you worried about low-level contamination by toxins in your water? What could the sources of contamination be?
I think the drinking water in my home is safe, because we've been drinking it for a long time and nothing bad has happened from it. I am a little worried about the contamination by toxins in my water, sources of contamination could be from fecal colliform and piping (lead).
Read, “Is Water Pollution from Pig Farms Unavoidable” and answer the following:
1: Why was pig farming such a controversy in North Carolina during this time?
Pig farming such a controversy in North Carolina during this time because of very confining farms.
2: What did pig farmers do with the pig waste? Why was this allowed?
Pig farmers put the pig waste in a pit, it was allowed because there wasn't enough incinerators to burn carcasses.
3: What is the lesson learned from North Carolina’s “Bay of Pigs”?
We are vulnerable to environmental catastrophes caused by large-scale industrial culture.
4: What legislation has been created as a result of this catastrophe?
The legislation created was to ban construction or expansion of new waste lagoons and encouraged pig farms to treat pig waste.
Study Questions:
1: Do you think outbreaks of waterborne diseases will be more common or less common in the future? Why? Where are outbreaks most likely to occur?
I think that waterborne diseases will be less common in the future because now we will have more precautions.
2: How does water that drains from coal mines become contaminated with sulfuric acid? Why is this an important environmental problem?
Water that drains from coal mines become contaminated with sulfuric acid by water mixed with coal runoff. This is an important environmental problem because if adds on to eutrophication.
3: Do you think our water supply is vulnerable to terrorist attacks? Why? Why not? How could potential threats be minimized?
Yes, because water is something that is used by everyone in the United States, so if terrorists aim for water, it can harm all of America. Potential threats could be minimized if we filter out all the bacteria and the pollutants and toxins.
4: How would you design a system to capture runoff where you live before it enters a storm drain?
I would use a system that filters out the heavy metals, pollutants and toxins. After, I would use the grit chamber to get rid of sediment, sand and small stones. I would also use chlorine to get rid of the pathogens that are responsible for outbreaks. After, I would have plants that would get rid of the rest of the bacteria and pollutants.