Final Exam

Question 1

Describe the environmental mercury with respect to sources (coal power plants and industrial), atmospheric deposition, remissions (methylation), and bioaccumulation.

Answer 1

Power plant emissions -> clouds -> rain -> bodies of H2O -> fish -> people

Question 2

Where is most of the Mercury (Hg) in the U.S. coming from?

Answer 2

1 source is Asia. #2 and 3# sources are Africa and Europe.

Question 3

What policy is necessary for meaningful reduction of Hg?

Answer 3

Global policy

Question 4

What are the Health effects of Hg on children?

Answer 4

Acute toxicity rash, swollen/ painful extremities, peripheral neuropathy, HTN. High dose fetal exposure: low birth weight, MR, CP, & deaf/ blindness, Sz.

Question 5

What are the Health effects of Hg on adults?

Answer 5

High exposure can cause Parethesias, ataxia, general weakness, and decreased vision/ hearing. vapors can cause bronchitis & resp failure.

Question 6

Why are children more susceptible to Hg?

Answer 6

Immature defenses (lower immune system) & unigue behaviors (hands to mouth)

Question 7

Why are PBDE’s used?

Answer 7

To slow or prevent fires.

Question 8

What is the cycle of PBDE?

Answer 8

All things break down and turn to dust. That dust gets dispersed into air and onto food. PBDE is then inhaled and/ or ingested. (Pig Pin)

Question 9

What are the major exposure routes of PBDE?

Answer 9

Inhalation & ingestion.

Question 10

What are the health effects of PBDE?

Answer 10

Health effects are similar to Hg, although more specifically in the Thyroid.

Question 11

Why are children more at risk to PBDE?

Answer 11

Kids play on ground and floor in the dust (rug rats)

Question 12

What is the main drinking H2O treatment technology in the U.S. and is it appropriate for developing countries?

Answer 12

Chlorine & sand filtration. Yes, how ever individuals must filter H2O instead of government.

Question 13

How do Biosand Filters work?

Answer 13

Diffuser plate distributes H2O evenly while adding O2. The Biolayer uses friendly microorganisms to treat H2O. Sand bed filters out parasites and bigger things (although not viruses). H2O must be added every 16 to 24 hours.

Question 14

How can we improve sustainability of clean H2O in developing countries?

Answer 14

Teach people, in a manner respectable to there culture, how to use filters.

Question 15

What is the effect of impervious surfaces on the hydrologic cycle?

Answer 15

Doesn’t allow for infiltration and creates run off. creates erosion and doesn’t allow natural H2O treatment.

Question 16

What are the effects of the expansion of impervious surfaces in a watershed?

Answer 16

Lowers Bio diversity.

Question 17

Describe two approaches to the design of rain gardens?

Answer 17

1) using native soil. 2) engineered soil and an underdrain.

Question 18

What is the advantage of using native plants in rain gardens?

Answer 18

Less susceptible to invasive species, enrich soil better, use less water due to deeper roots, uses little or no pesticides, easy maintenance after 1st year.

Question 19

How can plants be used to treat environmental contamination?

Answer 19

Polluted water is pulled through roots and transpired out into the air/ absorbs pollutant into plant as part of plant/ degrades pollutant.

Question 20

Describe 2 examples of how soy based products or recycling are being used in auto interiors and why the applications are successful.

Answer 20

Soy foam in seats, plastic coating in dash boards, and bio fuel. Soy is abundant and the products work because they’re simply better.

Question 21

What are the primary air pollutants and their sources?

Answer 21

CO, Nitrogen Oxide, Volatile Organics, Sulfur Oxides. Transportation, Stationary combustible fuel sources

Question 22

What pollutants have increased or decreased over the last 20 years? Why?

Answer 22

PM2.5 (fine particulate matter), increase over time. We’re good at taking the big stuff out & not the little stuff. All large pollutants have decreased.

Question 23

Why do we have a problem with too much ozone in the troposphere and too little in the stratosphere? Describe the chemistry in words

Answer 23

Atmospheric Nitrogen Oxide in contact with hot surfaces causes Photochemical smog which causes too much in troposphere. Chlorine from Freon causes too little in the stratosphere. UV light reacts with Freon. This reaction breaks off chlorine which takes out thousands of ozone molecules.

Question 24

What creates an ozone action day?

Answer 24

Caused by an inversion, high pressure forces air down causing smog to stay at a lower level.

Question 25

Why are we phasing out certain types of refrigerants and what are the more environmentally friendly alternatives?

Answer 25

Because of too much ozone in the troposphere and too little in the stratosphere. Montreal Protocol, Copenhagen Protocol.

Question 26

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 26

Gases in our atmosphere which absorb IR waves and radiate some of the heat back toward the earth.

Question 27

what gases contribute to the greenhouse effect? What is the strongest greenhouse gas?

Answer 27

Gases that contribute: Methane, Nitrous oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, CO2. CO2 is the strongest gas.