1.5 Humans and Pollution Flashcards
Pollution definition
The addition of substances into the natural environment at a rate that is greater than that at which they can be rendered harmless and which causes adverse changes.
Differentiate point source pollution from non - point source pollution
- Point source pollution is a single identifiable source of pollution such as a discharge from a wastewater treatment plant
- Non point source pollution is pollution from diffuse sources. This is difficult to monitor and control.
State the four types of pollution
- Organic or inorganic matter.
- Persistent or biodegradable.
- Acute or chronic.
- Primary or secondary.
Define organic and inorganic pollutants
Organic
An organic pollutant is something that is or was living, such as human sewage and they are carbon-based
Inorganic
An inorganic pollutant is one that is non-living and generally does not contain carbon, such as nitrates
Define persistent and Biodegradable pollutants
Peristent:
They do NOT breakdown easily and the most dangerous ones are the persistent organic pollutants (POP’s). (ex DDT) These pollutants are insoluble in water but often soluble in fat so they pass through the food chain.
Biodegradable:
Substances that WILL breakdown or decompose due to the action of microorganisms, such as human sewage, food waste etc.
Define acute and chronic pollution
Acute:
Occurs suddenly and in large quantities over a short period of time, for example a sudden rupture in an oil pipe is an acute problem.
Chronic:
The persistent long-term release of a pollutant at low concentrations. For example run-off from urban areas
Define primary and secondary pollutants
Primary:
are released into the environment directly from a source in the form they are produced.
Secondary:
form when primary pollutants react with the environment and other pollutants. They tend to be more toxic. ex. ground level ozone
What is air pollution?
Air pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the atmosphere. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems in humans and can damage vegetation
What is water pollution?
Water pollution generally occurs when pollutants are introduced into a body of water (lakes, rivers, ocean, groundwater etc.) without having the harmful substances removed.
What is land pollution?
Land pollution is the result of human misuse of land resources. It is often caused by poor disposal of waste or use of chemicals such as pesticides
State the model of pollution management 3 stages and explain a bit - HINT (State key words and for legislate give RWE - Real World Example)
EDUCATE - LEGISLATE - REMEDIATE
EDUCATE - Alter human activity
Key words:
Lifestyle changes
Education
Community pressure
Campaigns
LEGISLATE - Make laws to stop pollution
Key words:
regulations to control emissions
RWE: Montreal Protocol was introduced by the UNEP IN 1987 to control the use of ozone depleting substances
REMEDIATE - Clean up the mess
Key words:
clean up the ecosystem
restore the damage done
Expensive
Time consuming
What is DDT?
It is an organochloride insecticide that is colourless, tasteless and odourless. (also a persistent organic pollutant )
DDT context
- Used as an insecticide in 1939.
- Highly effective in controlling malaria and typhus during World War II
- It was made available for agricultural purposes after the war.
Bioaccumulation in DDT
When an animal consumes DDT it accumulate in the tissue
Biomagnification in DDT
The higher an animal is on a food chain, the greater the DDT concentration
