Chap 12: Contaminants of Surface Water and Saltwater Intrusion. Flashcards
Exam 2 Prep
What are pathogens?
Disease causing organisms.
Waterborne pathogens kill 5 million people yearly, mostly children, in developing countries. Why is this?
Lack of medical care and diarrheal disease symptoms.
What is turbidity?
The degree of suspended material in water/ the cloudiness.
What usually causes turbidity?
Excess algae or sediment.
Why is turbidity bad for humans?
It can’t be used for industrial processes or drinking.
What is eutrophication?
Excess nutrients in water because of runoff.
What causes blue baby syndrome, which is anemia in infants that result in brain damage?
Direct toxicity of NO3=Nitrate.
What is irrigation?
Providing water for agriculture.
Are current irrigation methods efficient?
No, the price of water used and its efficiency are disproportionate.
Why not switch to more efficient irrigation methods?
They are high tech and more expensive than less efficient methods most commonly used today.
What is soil salinization?
Soil becomes salty due to water evaporation and the retention of salts. Irrigation can cause this.
True or false: irrigation can cause insect disease vectors because mosquitoes prefer still standing water for their larvae.
True.
Irrigation also contributes to p _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e runoff.
Pesticide runoff.
What is a consequence of overdraft?
Saltwater can make its way into freshwater aquifers.
What causes reduced river volume?
Dams.
