Chem Quiz 3 Flashcards
What can ice cores tell us about GBCE?
Provide info about changes in cycles that have happened in the distant past
We have found that:
-Hg conc elevated during the last glacial maximum
- so we can infer that oceanic productivity was higher than it is today
How do bird feathers or peat bog help us identify changes in cycles? Case study?
Shows Recent and local changes
Sweden:
- analysis of bird feathers show a measure of cumulative Hg exposure to sea birds
- leads to the discovery of (Hg coated) seed dressing causing the biggest case of mercuric poisoning
What are redox reactions?
‣ Chemical processes in which electrons are transferred from one molecule to another
Not every rxn is a redox
How do you establish a redox equation?
‣ To establish a redox equation:
◦ 1. Determine oxidation state of involved ions
◦ 2. For both oxidation and reduction, establish separate equations
◦ 3. Apply the electro neutrality principle (changes on the left = changes on the right)
◦ 4. Add both half reactions
What is BOD?
Biological oxygen demand.
The mg of O2 required to carry out an organic carbon in 1L of water
2.7mg O2 dissolved in water oxidizes 1,g of organic carbon
Where can O2 be depleted ?
Rivers (O2 is replenished by contact with air)
Standing water (lakes, ponds) (dissolution of O2 in water is low compared to microbial mediated decomposition of dead biomass
Categorizing BOD
• Very clean: 1 mg O2 L-1
• Fairly clean: 1-3 mg O2L-1
• Doubtful purity: 3-5 mg O2 L-1
• Contaminated: >5mg O2 L-1
BOD in industry
◦ the BOD of industrial effluent as are measured to assess the extent to which their discharge could promote anoxic conditions when released into water
Methods to find BOD
◦ Methods
• Consist of filling an airtight bottle with sample (to overflowing). Then incubating the bottle at a specified temperature for 5 days. Now we can find dissolved O2 (DO) which is used to calculate BOD
• BOD = final (DO) - initial (DO)
______ of O2 concentration in a river can help us detect_______
Longitudinal analysis
pollution of oxidizable organic matter/pollution
What are the four equations of the diurnal cycle of water in Pine Creek, 2003
a. CO2 +H2O —> O2 +CH2O
B. HCO3-+ H+ —> CO2 +H2O
C. CO32- +H+ —> HCO3-
D. 1/2CaMg(CO3)2 (dolomite) —> 1/2Ca2+ + 1/2Mg2+ +CO32-
What do sewage treatment plants do?
Oxidize organic matter
Rate at which this occurs is important
How does aerobic respiration occur?
when lake/pond becomes depleted of O2, and aerobic organisms cannot survive, anaerobic organisms dominate. They use alternative oxidants that don’t produce as much energy, but anaerobic organisms require less energy.
What are alternate oxidants used in the biosphere?
• NO3-, -MnO2, -Fe(OH)3, -SO42-, CO2
• (In decreasing order of energy produced)
• These are catalyzed by microorganisms
What is pE?
• to catagorize the extent to which natural waters are chemically reducing in nature, environmental scientists use the concept pE
• Measure acidity in aqueous solutions, pE is defined as the negative logarithm of electron activity
• PE = -loga e
What does a large negative pE value indicate?
implies large electron activity in solution
‣ Reducing conditions
‣ Anoxic water bodies
What do large positive pE values indicate?
‣ Low electron activity in solution
‣ Oxidizing conditions
‣ Well aerated surface water
What occurs in a flooding event?
• Aerobes decrease
• Anaerobes increase
• PE decreases
• O2 decreases
• CH4 increases
• CO2 increases
What happens when oxygen is depleted?
• microbial populations first use oxidant that produces the most energy (O2) until it is depleated. Then another oxidant is used, where redox potential of a body of water tends to fall in stepwise pattern as Bioogical oxygen demndad (BOD) increases
What are the effects of microorganisms on the chemistry of water in nature
• CO2 to biomass by algae in sunlight
• Dead algal biomass degraded by bacteria
• CH2O degraded to CO2 by bacteria in the presence of O2
• Reduced forms of some elements are produced by bacteria in anaerobic conditions
‣ Ex. SO4 —> H2S
What are pE/pH diagrams?
• A two dimensional plot pE (y-axis) and pH (x-axis) to show water stability boundaries
• H2O has a limited range of pE and pH values within which it is stable
• Highly reducing conditions (low pE):
‣ 2H2O +2e- —> H2 + 2OH-
• highly oxidizing conditions (high pE)
‣ 6H2O —> 4H3O +O2 +4e-
How is pE related to mine wastes?
pH 2.5 and well aerated (pE=15)
• most important sulfur species in solution would be sulfate
How is pE related to swamps/paddy rice fields?
• soil has high content of organic matter (OM) which acts as a reducing agent
• Low pE
• Ex. H2S
What is the iron system?
Below pH 3, Fe3+ may exist in equilibrium with Fe2+. The boundary line : [Fe3+] = [Fe2+]. likewise depends on both pE and pH, but it does not depend on an assumed value for total soluble iron.
What is a pollutant ?
• A pollutants is a substance or effect that adversely alters the environment by changing the growth rate of species, interferes with the food chain, is toxic, or interferes with health, comfort, amenities, or property values of people
• The quality of the surface/ groundwater of concern with regard to human health & welfare and the heath of aquatic ecosystems
• Inorganic pollutants can have natural OR anthropogenic sources
‣ Ex. The biggest mass poisoning that occurred in India/Bangladesh, arsenic poisoning
Inorganic vs organic pollutants?
• the most important difference between organic and inorganic pollutants:
‣ Inorganic pollutants have geologic origins
‣ Organic pollutants can be broken down by CO2 and water
What are the types of ubiqutious water pollutants?
• Industrial chemicals
• Industrial products
• Consumer products
• Geogenic/natural chemicals
• Disinfection/oxidation
• Transformation products
Industrial chemicals as water pollutants
Drinking water contamination
Solvents and intermediates
Industrial products as water pollutants
Lubricants, additives, flame retardants
Problems with bio magnification and long range transport
Consumer products as water pollutants
‣ Detergents, pesticides, hormones, personal care products
‣ Ex. Antibiotics
‣ Problems with Endocrine transformations, feminization of fish, multitude of other effects
Biocides as water pollutants
‣ Pesticides
‣ Ex. DDT, atrazine
‣ effects primary producers
Geogenic/ natural chemicals as water pollutants
Heavy metals, inorganic, human hormones
Lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, fluoride, etc
Risks for human health and drinking water quality
Disinfection/oxidation as water pollutants
Disinfection by-products
Drinking water quality, human heath problems
Transformation products
Metabolites
Drinking water problems, bioaccumulation