Environmental Challenges and Solutions

Question 1

What is the main cause of the Gulf of Mexico dead zone?

Answer 1

Eutrophication, fed by nutrient runoff from the Mississippi River Basin, mostly due to agriculture in the Midwest

Question 2

What is the acid mine drainage?

Answer 2

Contamination of water through oxidation of sulphide-bearing minerals

Question 3

What did the Ajka Alumina Plant in Hungary release?

Answer 3

700,000 m3of highly caustic red mud slurryescaped a containment facility
10 people died and contamination inundated several towns

Question 4

The Exxon-Valdez spill led to which major legislative change?

Answer 4

1990 Oil Pollution Act US, essentially lead to double-hulled tankers

Question 5

Why do dispersants help in oil spill cleanup, but also pose environmental concerns?

Answer 5

The break up the oil into smaller droplets, however they are toxic to marine animals

Question 6

What are some coal mine spoil tip solution?

Answer 6

Regulation, revegetation and understanding of controlling factors

Question 7

Summarise the Exxon-Valdez Spillage.

Answer 7

11 million gallons of oil over an 800km coastline. 400,000 seabirds influenced and 4000 sea otters dead. $1 billion in fines and $100 million in research costs.

Question 8

What happened in the Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Gulf of Mexico?

Answer 8

780 million litres of oil spilled by a BP operated oil-rig, this killed 11 people.

Question 9

What are some oil spill solutions?

Answer 9

Booms
Burning
Soaking up using: textiles, graphene, magnets, hair/fur
Skimming: vacuuming the surface, scoops/conveyor belts
Dispersants
Natural Attenuation: evaporation, bioremediation

Question 10

What elements formed deposits after Chernobyl?

Answer 10

Strontium, Caesium and Iodine

Question 11

What is Chernobyl like today?

Answer 11

“A haven for wildlife” since the land has been largely off limits to humans for three decades, it became the third largest nature reserve containing lynx, bison, deer and other animals- an accidental experiment in re-wilding.

Question 12

What are the environmental concerns of HEP?

Answer 12

Displacement of people and alteration in natural flow can lead to genetic bottleneck and extinction of species

Question 13

How many species become extinct each year due to deforestation?

Answer 13

50,000 estimated

Question 14

What are some of the remediation techniques used for AMD?

Answer 14

Bioremediation, phytoremediation, membrane filtration, alkaline chemicals, containment

Question 15

How many people don’t have access to safe drinking water?

Answer 15

3 in 10